Transcript - Radio Interview with Oliver Peterson, 6PR

22 October 2019

Prime Minister

OLIVER PETERSON, 6PR PERTH LIVE HOST: And from Federal Parliament in Canberra is the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, good afternoon, welcome to Perth Live.

PRIME MINISTER: G’day Oli, how are you mate?

PETERSON: I’m very well PM. Now the big stick laws allowing the government to intervene in the electricity market have been going through the parliament today.

PRIME MINISTER: Correct

PETERSON: But here in WA we’re not on your National Energy Grid…

PRIME MINISTER: No.

PETERSON: So how are 6PR listeners going to benefit from this?

PRIME MINISTER: Well they apply right across the country and what they do is they apply to companies that can use their market power and you’ve got big energy companies too like the rest of the country and where they’re seen and found to be doing that to punish customers, well there’s a range of remedies in this legislation which there are things the Government can do. Now it starts off at fairly modest level where the ACCC is the cop on the beat, they can issue warning notices, and infringement notices but that goes ups to civil penalties and fines and then ultimately if you have a big energy company that is doing this then there is a power for forced divestment but that’s in the most extreme of circumstances and if it’s a fully government-owned power company then it can only be divested to other fully government-owned, of ownership of that company, so there’s no issues of privatisation here. But look, what is it all about? It’s about trying to give the customers more power and to balance it up when you’ve got those big energy companies able to pretty much charge you where’ve they want…

PETERSON: Sure.

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve been doing a lot of work for now for some years to try and just even the score up for customers.

PETERSON: Alright, ’cause as you just said the and here in Western Australia, state-owned, so would the Federal Government force the McGowan Government to sell the state-owned energy assets?

PRIME MINISTER: Well ultimately if it ever got to that situation I’m sure there would be a lot of discussion with the State Government in those circumstances and it may not ever come to exercising that option but the guarantee is, that no government-owned asset could be divested to anything other than full government ownership and the Commonwealth is obviously a government-owned entity.

PETERSON: Business says investment is going to dry up because these laws drive-up the risk that their investment will essentially be taken off them but don’t we need more investment in power to bring prices down. How’s this going to affect 6PR listeners paying less for their power?

PRIME MINISTER: Because it will even up the balance for them as customers in terms of how they deal with energy companies and we’ve been doing a lot of things on that front to ensure that things like the standard offers, the tricky late payment fees and all those sorts of things have been outlawed and we’ve been doing that for some time so I’m not surprised the big energy companies don’t like the idea that customers will have greater power in the market when dealing with them and of course they’re going to say those things, I’m not surprised by it, they always say that sort of thing and we’ve been able to overcome those arguments and getting full support for this legislation going through the Parliament now.

PETERSON: It’s been almost three months since you were here in Western Australia, you got any visits planned Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: This weekend! And it could have been come to hear Tex Perkins play this weekend, I heard the ad before that sounded really good…

PETERSON: You’re a fan of Tex Perkins are you Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: I love that album, Tex, Don and Charlie, I had it many, many years ago, and he’s a great Australian talent but let’s- getting back to the reason I’m coming which is Telethon on Saturday night, we’ve already put $10 million into Telethon over the years. It’s a great initiative, I get excited to see by how it brings a community together and gets the community focused on the really great charities and work that is done in Western Australia so we’re big supporters of it and we just want to come and lend our support on Saturday night.

PETERSON: Alright we’ll see you here on the weekend. Now Prime Minister, why is the Government obsessed with the budget surplus when you really could create some jobs by spending some dollars and pull the trigger on some job-creating infrastructure projects in Western Australia like Metronet for example.

PRIME MINISTER: We already are investing in Metronet and we’re already investing this year almost $10 billion in infrastructure all around the country. Our budget already is providing for massive investments in infrastructure as well as tax reductions for people right across the board. But you also need to ensure you have a budget that is good for tomorrow not just today. Now we are facing a lot of global uncertainty so, you know, this is what Kevin Rudd did when he was in power. He came in, panicked, blew the budget and we’re are still paying for it now. When people are saying we’re in Kevin Rudd’s debt they mean literally, the debt he left behind because he went and blew the budget. Now you know we had the stimulus funding for overpriced school halls, we had insulation and solar home programmes which cost $2 billion to implement and then $1 billion to fix, and then we had rooms actually catch alight, we had stimulus payments being sent to people who had actually deceased and even pets. Stimulus activity is proven to be ill-considered, poorly planned and results in massive waste which means taxpayers end up paying for it. It’s not free money, you have to pay for it and it’s taxpayers who foot the bill so we’re careful about our budget, we’re investing billions in infrastructure and we’ve provided additional support to the Western Australian budget, finally, by dealing with the injustice of what was occurring with the GST so WA gets that money now to be able to invest -n the priorities in WA and we think that’s the right way to do it. But that’s responsible economic management, not the panic and crisis that we saw from Labor.

PETERSON: Now we know it’s a national issue at the moment with low wages growth but particularly here in Perth, Prime Minister, and we get so many calls and emails, we’ve got a struggling Perth property market. Our listeners are particularly worried about being able to pay off their mortgages, can the Morrison Government reassure them?

PRIME MINISTER: Well the first thing you do is you don’t go and hit the property market with a sledgehammer by abolishing negative gearing, and putting up capital gains tax and the last election was very much about that. Could you imagine what would have happened to the Perth market if that had happened, it would have been an absolute disaster. But on top of that what we’re doing is ensuring that by investing in infrastructure, providing the tax relief that that’s putting the money in people’s own pockets and that’s not our money it’s theirs and we’re allowing them to keep more of it with our tax reductions for small and family businesses right across the board up to 50 million and that’s providing some breathing space for those businesses but on top of that for those who try to actually get into the market, of course we have a low interest rate environment at the moment but there’s still a really hard slog getting deposits together, for people to get into their first home. We’ve got the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and the legislation for that went through the Parliament, that kicks off on the first of January this year coming. But the best way to ensure there is stronger wage growth, and we’ve had almost 1.5 million jobs created since we came to Government, more people working as a share of the population today than at any other time in our history. We’ve just gone three years where employment has increased every single month across the country and that’s happened every month for three years which is the strongest we’ve ever seen. Getting people into work, getting them off welfare, driving the economy forward with infrastructure investment and lower taxes.

PETERSON: Jobs, jobs, jobs that’s what Anne Aly said to me yesterday, the Member for Cowan and Prime Minister we could create more jobs by bringing the maintenance contract for the Collins Class submarines to Perth and remove that from Adelaide. Are you going to award it to WA?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it won’t be done on politics, it will be done on the careful consideration of the issues that are involved in actually running what is a very important programme in our Defence Forces. I mean, this is not some prize to be handed out or decided on the basis of politics, I think that would be a very dangerous way to run Government, we’ll do this is in the careful considered policy of listening to the advisers, doing the analysis and making the best decision in the national interest.

PETERSON: It makes some sort of logistical sense though doesn’t it if the submarines are based here in Perth, if the maintenance could be carried out here in Perth, it’s a win-win is it not?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, these are things that will be reviewed by those experts, in providing the Government with advice about those projects and Linda Reynolds is the Defence Minister, a great Western Australian, very familiar with all these issues but the thing is we’re not going to do this on politics, we don’t defend the country and its national interests and keep Australians safe by allowing politics to enter into those issues.

PETERSON: Your Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton claimed this morning that some asylum seekers may be faking sickness over the Medivac changes, is that really happening?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, of the 135 people that actually came under this arrangement only 13 were hospitalised, so I’ll let you make up your own mind. We didn’t think those laws were necessary when they were introduced, we did think they would undermine the border protection regime and we do think it should be returned to what we had in place before which was working. I don’t understand why Labor always wants to be break something that’s working and they never learn from their mistakes. Doctors were already involved in the process that we were running previously and that programme had been effectively bringing people to Australia where there was legitimate medical need but Labor, whether it’s on border protection or blowing the budget, doesn’t seem to have learnt anything from what they did. I know it was six years ago when they were in Government last but they don’t seem to have learnt anything still, since, because they are still advocating the same policies.

PETERSON: Prime Minister, if these so-called “Isis brides” undergo a DNA test and it’s proved that they are Australian citizens will they be brought back home?

PRIME MINISTER: Well there’s a lot of steps and there’s a lot of events that occur before you even get to that situation. The part of Syria where people are who are alleged to be Australians, they are in a very dangerous part of the world and there’s no suggestion that Australia is going to be running any extraction campaigns. It’s too dangerous, I’m not going to put any Australians in harm’s way. Now, were people to find themselves at border points and things like that well there’d be a normal process that would be followed but it would obviously be necessary to ensure that it was very clear about what any obligations Australia had at that time before going down that path.

PETERSON: A lot of our listeners don’t want these people to return home but one of our callers suggested in the last hour suggested that we’ve lost our generosity of spirit if we don’t allow them to return home, I mean after all they are Australian citizens Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that would have to be determined and that would have to be established.

PETERSON: Are you happy to see Justin Trudeau returned as the Canadian Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: You know I’ll talk to Justin tomorrow, I’ve worked with Justin over this past year at many of these events, I congratulate him, it was a very tightly fought election and he’s a pretty effective campaigner, very effective no doubt and at this stage it’s not clear whether he’ll form a minority government or majority government. But you know Australia has a very good relationship with Canada, it’s like with any of the countries we have a great relationship with. Our job as leaders is to ensure we manage those relationships well and take them to the next level and I get on very well with Justin and his wife Sophie, Jenny and I have met them on a number occasions now and we progress issues we can agree on. Justin and I, I wouldn’t say have the same political views on some issues but they’re things we can set aside where we work together on the relationship for the good of both countries.

PETERSON: One more before you go, I picked up The Aus this morning, now how confident are you of crushing Anthony Albanese because according to Troy Bramston in The Australian you want to take us to an early election but please tell us that’s not the case because we just had local council elections over the weekend…

PRIME MINISTER: I don’t know what on earth he’s basing that on, I’ve got no clue what he’s basing that on. You know we’re elected to govern, and that’s what we’re going to do. I’m not at all interested in elections at the moment, why would I be? We’ve just been reelected just recently and we’ve got a big term of work to do and that’s exactly what we’re going to get on and do, and we’ve got, particularly over on the eastern states, we’ve got the terrible issues of the drought, we’ve got the global economic conditions which has got us very focused on dealing with those varying infrastructure projects over in the West which I was talking to you about and getting those done. We’re delivering the highest level of education and hospitals funding that we’ve ever seen, we’ve got to get the NDIS up and happening and on very sensitive issues like we had in the Parliament this afternoon, it’s a year since the national apology for the survivors of institutional child sexual abuse and we’ve got a lot of work to do there on the redress scheme and getting that redress out to people who were affected by that. So my to do list is big and it’s full and there’s a lot to do and we’re just getting on with it. I’ll leave Labor to their own crisis and panic, they seem to be having their own problems. But I take nothing for granted and have head down, tail up doing the job.

PETERSON: Alright, before you go one very last one as I know you’re a Rugby League fan, we would love a team here in Perth, would it have the Prime Minister’s backing to bring the West Coast Pirates into the National Rugby League?

PRIME MINISTER: The West Coast Pirates? Well look it was some years ago when there was a Western Australian team…

PETERSON: Yeah the Western Reds.

PRIME MINISTER: and I’ve got to tell you when I came over for the State of Origin this year that was awesome, that was just simply awesome and it wasn’t just because New South Wales won but it was because the way the Perth crowd took to the game and that is now the record for the stadium. So I’ve got to tell you Western Australia certainly put their best foot forward. I’ll leave the running of the NRL to the NRL though, and Todd, and I’ll keep a focus on my Sharks, they’re staying at Cronulla I can assure you they’re not going anywhere.

PETERSON: The “Perth Sharks” has a good ring to it though as well?

PRIME MINISTER: No, they’ll be on the east coast but in terms of pirates or things like that all I would say is that I thought that was a phenomenal event in Perth and it wasn’t just the day of the game and it was the lead up all week and Perth is really just an awesome event city and it’s really establishing itself on that basis and I’d say well done.

PETERSON: We’ve got the NRL Nines as well next year too, Prime Minister we really appreciate your time on Perth Live this afternoon and welcome you here later in the week thank you very much.

PRIME MINISTER: Looking forward to coming, good on you Oli, cheers!

PETERSON: That is the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison live on the line from Canberra.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42476

Motion - National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

22 October 2019

Prime Minister

Mr Morrison: (Cook—Prime Minister and Minister for the Public Service) (16:16): I move:

That the House commemorate the anniversary of the national apology to the survivors and victims of institutional child sexual abuse.

I join with all in our chamber today, I join with the Leader of the Opposition and I join with all of those across the country as we mark the first anniversary of the Australian government's and parliament's apology to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. I remember that day incredibly well. It is burned in my memory forever, and I remember on that occasion speaking of those around the country who still would not be able to get out of bed without the horrific memory of what they have lived with ever since those unutterable things were done to them all those years ago or even most recently. And so we come again today and, as we commemorate this day, they, the survivors, are the ones we have in the front of our minds and deep in our hearts. And we also remember those for whom it was just too much, and they are no longer with us.

A year ago, our nation said sorry. I described it as:

… a sorry that dare not ask for forgiveness … a sorry that does not insult with an incredible promise …

It was a sorry as if we lay prostrate before those to whom it was offered, with nothing to say other than to reflect on the terrible events that have afflicted their lives. We acknowledge the national trauma—a national trauma that was hiding in plain sight—the silenced voices and what I described as the 'muffled cries in the darkness' and 'the never-heard pleas of tortured souls'. That is still true today—ritual crimes of sexual abuse committed by enemies in our midst, enemies that all too often cloak their evil in roles where they should be trusted more than any: teachers, priests, pastors, coaches, counsellors. Because they held positions which our society deems respectable, they were believed. A survivor named Ann said, 'My mother believed them rather than me.' As a parent, those words still just make me shudder.

Our apology, which brought all parties, all people in this place, together in this House, was one of our most difficult moments, but it was also the parliament at its best. I particularly want to thank the then Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, for his partnership on that day, for sharing and carrying that burden on behalf of this parliament with me on that day as we stood in this place, as we spoke to those who sat silently in the chairs and around the gallery—many of whom are back here again today—and as we went out onto the lawns also and as we went into the Great Hall. So thank you, Bill. Thank you very much. We can both tell those stories.

Last year, I met Aunty Mary Hooker, a Bundjalung woman who was on the lawns of Parliament House after the apology . I was reminded of that today. She told me that she gave evidence to the royal commission because, she said, 'The truth needed to be told.' Aunty Mary passed away two weeks ago, and until the time of her death she had on the television in her home a photo of the two of us from that day. It wasn't about any one prime minister; it was about what that day meant to her and how what we did a year ago at least provided her with some measure of solace.

The apology required us to confront a question, a terrible question, too horrible to even ask: why weren't the children of our nation loved, nurtured and protected? So we said sorry for the hurt and the horrors, for the violation of dignity and self-worth, for what was done, the acts too unspeakable; sorry for what was not done, and should have been, as we looked the other way instead of helping or intervening; sorry to families who are forever scarred and destroyed; sorry to those who weren't believed. Our failure as a nation was catastrophic and inexcusable, and no apology can undo it, yet we apologised because we should have and we must have. And I would like to think of it as an ongoing, continuous apology. I agree with the survivor who said, 'Child sexual abuse is not just a crime against the person; it's also a crime that attacks the social fabric of the nation,' and in these acts the fabric of our society was rent, and our apology was just one humble but important step in trying to mend it.

On this day one year ago, we paid tribute to the thousands of people who came forward bravely, with courage, to tell their story to the royal commission. And there weren't just a few; the numbers make us shudder. Seventeen thousand came forward, and nearly 8,000 recounted their abuse in private sessions of the royal commission. A year ago, we pledged—I pledged—that we would report back to the Australian parliament, to the people, on the progress we are making on the implementation of the recommendations of the royal commission, because now it's only actions that can prove the worth of our sentiments, and that is what today is the opportunity to do. But, in providing these introductory comments, I think it's important for us to go back to where we were a year ago and simply allow the horror of those events to impact us with a heavy blow.

The government will continue to report annually on this progress, as we should. Of the royal commission's 409 recommendations, the 84 regarding redress have been addressed through the implementation of the National Redress Scheme. The Commonwealth has a further 122 recommendations that we are working on either wholly or partially with our state and territory colleagues. I am pleased that work on these recommendations will advance. Around one third have already been implemented, and the remainder are well underway. The Commonwealth has also taken on a national leadership role for more than 30 additional recommendations that were primarily addressed to the states and territories, and we are working closely with those states and territories on those matters.

We tabled the first annual progress report last December and we will continue doing that each year for five consecutive years or, frankly, for as long as it takes. All states and territories also published 2018 annual progress reports and will also provide annual reporting. This year, we have also encouraged a further 42 non-government institutions, whose conduct was called into question at the royal commission, to report on their actions and to change their practices. The public accountability across governments and non-government institutions is crucial and vital.

One year on, I can report the National Redress Scheme has been operating for just over a year and is giving survivors access to counselling, psychological services, monetary payments and, for those who want one, a direct personal response from an institution where the abuse occurred. So far, more than 600 payments have been made, totalling more than $50 million, with an average redress payment of $80,000. More than 60 non-government institutions or groups of institutions are now participating in the scheme, and that represents tens of thousands of locations across Australia where this happened. And there are other institutions that have chosen not to join, perhaps captured by lawyers, legal advice—perhaps deaf to the cause of justice. All they are doing in not joining this is doubling down on the crimes and doubling down on the hurt. And so to them who have not joined, I say: join. Do the decent thing. Do the right thing. Do the honourable thing. It is not just what survivors expect and their families and the families of those who did not survive; it is what every decent, honest Australian demands and what we in this place, all as one, demand as well.

I also acknowledge that the Redress Scheme needs to do better in supporting survivors. The rate of response is not good enough, and it must improve. Applications have not been processed as fast as I want them to be. That is why earlier today, Minister Ruston announced a further investment of $11.7 million in the National Redress Scheme, to improve its operation and to better support survivors. I want better outcomes. The funding will support case management of applications to reduce the number of different people a survivor may be required to deal with while their application is being processed. It will also allow the government to hire more independent decision-makers to finalise applications as quickly as possible.

On 5 March 2019, the government also committed funding of $52.1 million to boost support services for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. This funding will support 34 existing agencies to June 2021, as well as five additional providers, to offer redress support services to survivors in remote and regional areas, male survivors, survivors with a disability, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survivors as well.

The royal commission made many recommendations for the Australian state and territory governments to work together to prevent the horrors of the past from occurring again. One of those was a national strategy to prevent child sexual abuse, and I can report that all governments are currently working on a 10-year strategy. Over 350 consultations have now taken place as part of that work, and I expect it will be released in coming months. As recommended by the royal commission, the strategy will include education and awareness raising, improved support services for victims, initiatives targeted at offender prevention and at children with harmful sexual behaviours, and improved information sharing, data and research.

We've also been working with our state and territory colleagues to enhance working-with-children checks in line with royal commission recommendations. We're closer to our goal of making the standard of checks consistent across the country and have started rolling out a database to be able to share this information more easily. This database will also allow agencies that issue these checks to be aware of whether an applicant has been refused a check in another jurisdiction. In response to the royal commission, the parliament has recently passed the Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment Bill 2019. The act introduces new failure-to-report and failure-to-protect offences—much needed for Commonwealth officials who have care, supervision or authority over children. It strengthens laws on forced marriage and overseas child sexual abuse committed by Australian citizens and residents. To address challenges facing our law enforcement agencies, the act strengthens child sexual abuse material laws, including in relation to material accessed online. The act also amends Commonwealth law so it is no longer using the term 'child pornography'—an outdated phrase that did not reflect the heinous criminal acts depicted in child sexual abuse materials.

We're close to finalising our online safety charter, which sets out the government's expectations—on behalf of the Australian community—for social media services, content hosts and other technology companies. Businesses that interact with children in the real world have to meet high standards of safety, and digital businesses should be treated no differently. The charter is due for release by the end of this year. The eSafety Commissioner is making the online environment safer for children by developing resources for Australian schools and organisations to provide best practise online safety education. The royal commission produced some groundbreaking research work on the nature and scale of sexual abuse in Australia. We want to build on that work, and that's why I've announced Australia's first national child maltreatment study. This will be the most comprehensive study of its kind undertaken anywhere in the world.

We're establishing the National Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse. The royal commission recommended the national centre should raise awareness of the impact of abuse, increase our workforce's knowledge and their competence in responding to victims and survivors, and coordinate a national research agenda. The government has committed $25.5 million over five years to establish that centre. I've asked all states and territories to also contribute. We'll be consulting on the scope, function and governance arrangements in coming months.

The royal commission also found that more needs to be done to ensure that places where children and young people meet are safe, so I was pleased earlier this year when COAG endorsed the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. There are 10 principles, and they include things like making sure that leadership takes responsibility for child safety, that staff and volunteers are properly trained to care for our children and that children are taken seriously. All government agencies are implementing these principles. We're also working with state and territory governments to get them implemented consistently across our nation. We also want organisations that work with children to adopt these principles so they can guide their decision-making and the way they operate.

Earlier today, Minister Ruston handed over to the parliament the parchment etched with the apology's wording. It will now take its place in the Members Hall, along with other items that tell some of the stories of our nation. It's not one of the pretty stories. It's not one of the stories we can be proud of. It's only one that we can be deeply ashamed of. The oak table used by Queen Victoria when signing the royal assent that enacted Australia's Constitution is there and the Yirrkala bark petitions are there, but also are the apologies made to the Stolen Generations, to the forgotten Australians, to the former child migrants and for the forced adoptions. These items of ceremony, struggle and suffering sit in the symbolic heart of our Australian parliament on public display, because that's who we are as a people. We confront the ghosts and horrible misdeeds of our past because it's right to do so, but we also do it as a living memory to us all—that we should never see them repeated. For it to be here in this place, let it be a remembrance for us, let it call us to account, because these things are part of our national story, and we've got to own all our stories to be a complete people.

Many of the survivors who gave evidence to the royal commission were asked to share a message with the Australian people about their experiences as part of this display, and more than a thousand Australians have done so. One of them, whose name is not known, wrote to us and said, 'Let our voice echo.' Well, it does in this chamber today, and may it ever be so. May all those brave voices continue to echo. Let it bounce, but not just that; let it permeate into how we remember what they have told us. 'They are believed,' we said a year ago, 'We believe you.' We still believe you, we will forever believe you and we are sorry, as we said a year ago, and we remain sorry.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42899

Doorstop - Australian Embassy, Jakarta

20 October 2019

Prime Minister

Prime Minister: I’m very pleased to be here today for the inauguration of President Widodo, and joined by my wife Jenny.  This is the fourth occasion that an Australian Prime Minister has been here for the inauguration of the Indonesian President, starting on that first occasion with Prime Minister Howard, so I’m very pleased to be here today, particularly for the inauguration of President Widodo. He has been an extraordinary friend of Australia and his repeat election at this most recent election, I think speak volumes about Indonesia where we have someone such as President Widodo who has come very much from outside the Indonesian establishment and to have been successful at two successive elections is an extraordinary achievement.  And it’s not just because he has the best smile of any leader I think in the world today, but he had a real passion for his people, and he is a very significant participant in our regional dialogues and his conception of the Indo Pacific ideal and how that has been relayed through ASEAN and the broader regional fora I think has been incredibly important. Australia has been a big partner with Indonesia, and in particular with President Widodo on that very construct of the Indo Pacific.  It’s where we live, it’s where we engage, it’s where our future is, and it’s where so much of our present also is in terms of our trading relationships, our people-to-people relationships.  So this is a very significant relationship.  We have a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, it was the first place I visited and he was the first leader I met with after becoming Prime Minister just over a year ago.  So we are very pleased to be here.

Also today we have had the opportunity for further bilateral discussions of course with President Widodo, but also with the Sultan of Brunei and Vice President Wang of China which was also a very positive and constructive meeting.

JOURNALIST: PM as you said you were here just over a year ago.  The two of you hammered out the deal for the IA-CEPA agreement that looks like it’s going to be ratified by the Australian parliament by the end of the year.  Did you discuss with President Widodo whether it would be ratified by the end of the year by the Indonesian parliament?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that’s, as you know James, let me go back a step.  The House of Representatives will be considering this matter tomorrow, and we’ve arrange for that to be on the notice paper for tomorrow, for that to be progressed tomorrow in the House, and it will obviously move through to the Senate soon after that when they reconvene after Estimates and I was very pleased to be able to relay that to President Widodo today.

Now as you know, they have two options for proceeding: down the presidential path, or down the parliamentary path and it’s my understanding that they will continue to proceed down the parliamentary path and that’s still very much with them.

JOURNALIST: Just to clarify, he didn’t put a timeline on it or…

PRIME MINISTER: Not yet, no.  But no issues were raised as to any of this presenting any obstacles.

JOURNALIST: Your meeting with Vice President Wang went quite considerably over time today, can you tell us what was discussed and whether he extended any invitation for you to come to Beijing?

PRIME MINISTER: Well it was a good meeting and as you say it was scheduled for half an hour and it almost went for twice that and I appreciated that.  Vice President Wang, I should stress, was there as an envoy of President Xi, and so it is not for him to be offering invitations or doing those sorts of things.  So that was not his remit today.

We had a great opportunity to discuss the full gamut of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we have with China, and the many things both China and Australia have been saying in recent times and align those and focus on the positive elements of our relationship which are so optimistic and so bright.  And so that was a great opportunity.  It was constructive, it was positive, and it was a good opportunity to reflect across the broad spectrum of the relationship.

JOURNALIST:  PM it sounds like you are taking heart from this meeting.  How would you characterise, or interpret it though.  Are you taking from this meeting that there is something of a diplomatic thaw with China?

PRIME MINISTER:  I think what we saw today is that there is much analysis about the relationships that countries have with China and I think there is indeed a lot of over-analysis of those relationships and whether it’s the United States and China, or anyone else.  And I simply made the point, which was well received, that Australia is an independent sovereign nation.  Yes we are very much proud of our Western liberal democratic tradition, our open economy and our engagement with the rest of the world, and that gives us a set of eyes that look into the world very much from our perspective.  And I respect the fact that whether it’s China, or indeed Indonesia or any other country in this part of the world, they will have their unique perspective and that’s all fine.  There’s no issues with that.  But what we also stressed today was, is that we will never feel corralled into any sort of binary assessment of these relationships.  Binary assessments of a relationship which says pro-United States or pro-China, as Australia has a comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China and we have an enduring, and incredibly important alliance with the United States which is fundamental to our security.  We have our biggest investment partnership with the United States and our biggest trade partnership with China and these are not mutually exclusive.  And the comments that I’ve made, particularly more recently which have been quite stoically in support of this independent, anti-binary view, I think are very well received. I took the opportunity to congratulate China on where they were able to get to with the United States on the first phase of their trade discussions.  I think that’s very good for the global economy and I think it bears out the optimism that we’ve always had about rejecting this binary nature.

It’s simply a fact that China has arrived at an incredibly impressive point in its economic history.  It’s impossible to dispute that.  And that means that they’ve done incredibly well and raises their level of technological achievement and capability.  Similarly, more broadly in their economy but also say, militarily, and that’s a reflection of the significant progress they’ve made over that time.  And so, you know, one can only acknowledge that and then pursue our partnership based on our interests, which are aligned with China to the extent that we have both done so incredibly well out of their success.  And so that was the dominating part of our discussion today.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister there was some strong pushback from China’s Ambassador to Australia about your calls for China to be treated as a developed economy on the world stage.  What sort feedback today did you get about those comments that you have made?

PRIME MINISTER: Well we had a good discussion about the course of history, I think it’s fair to say.  We both, I think, were able to point to that incredible economic development that China has been able to achieve.  The most rapid I think any of us have ever seen and certainly in our lifetime and arguably, well unarguably, in all of history.  And so that means that China is the second largest economy in the world today, which is a point we discussed today.  And as a result, that means that China has arrived at a very different point in how it engages economically with the rest of the world.  I’ve never seen this as a surprising point, I think it’s quite an obvious point and as a result, the world will recalibrate as a result of their great success.

JOURNALIST: from what we heard of at the start of the meeting, it was requested by Australia.  Is it stronger as a result of your discussion today, the relationship between the two countries, because the context has been one which has been tested?

PRIME MINISTER:  The context of today was we were both here to celebrate the inauguration of the President of Indonesia, and given we were here, and both here, it seemed to us to be a good opportunity to sit down and have a chat, which we did.  And it was a chat that we had very much in the spirit of the partnership that we have.  And very much inoculated from all of the assessments that are made about the relationship.  And that’s why I came out of the meeting pleased with the generous time that we both afforded to it and were happy to have extended today in our discussions.  So I came out the discussion pleased that there is I think a very clear understanding of where Australia is coming from, our commitment to the relationship and I think that is understood and appreciated by China as well.

JOURNALIST: So beyond China, back to Jokowi for a second.

PRIME MINISTER: Sure, we are in Indonesia after all.

Journalist: We are indeed in Indonesia.  You talked about IACEPA.  You also touched on security I gather and trilateral arrangements with India as well, is that right?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes, and RCEP too I should stress.  We had a good discussion about the RCEP agreement.  There’s a meeting in November in Bangkok of Trade Ministers – that will be very important, together with other partners in the region. We’re very keen to try and bring this together this year and that’s something that Indonesia also shares as an objective, and so we’re hopeful of some good progress on that meeting in November before the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Forum later this year.

The other matters, at our last meeting the President and I we discussed our trilateral agreement and relationship with India.  We both see this as a very positive development.  As you probably know, we’ve also had some great engagement with India most recently with the Quad, and there was a Ministerial level meeting of the Quad which was held for the first time in New York around the UN General Assembly.  So all of these intermeshing, multilateral fora that we have willingly between independent nation states in this part of the world, I think is very positive, it’s very positive.  It enables issues to be progressed, it provides a stabilising influence in the region, and that’s good for business, it’s good for investment, it’s good for peace, it’s good for stability, it’s good for social progress.  And there is a great coalition of like-minded and shared interest parties right across this region, whether its India, or whether it’s China or whether it’s Australia or whether it’s Indonesia.  This is a pragmatic and productive time.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister Australian media companies are campaigning for greater openness on whistle blower protection, freedom of information and so on.  What would your government do, if anything, to response to that?

PRIME MINISTER:  Well we are, and we have a process currently going on the way at the moment in a joint parliamentary inquiry.  We’ve already acted to issue the Minister for Home Affairs’ guidelines and direction which I think both well codify what the processes are, and in fact improve them, and I think that’s been well received, particularly by groups like the AFP which are finding those instructions very very helpful.  So I do think that’s an improvement, but we’ll still await the report from the inquiry.  But let me simply say this – my government will always believe in freedom of the press.  It’s an important part of our freedoms as a liberal democracy.  Also believe in the rule of law and that no one is above it, including me or anyone else, any journalist or anyone else.  And the rule of law has to be applied evenly and fairly in the protection of our broader freedoms. And so I don’t think anyone is, I hope, looking for a leave pass on any of those things, I wouldn’t and nor should anyone else.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister can I just take you back to the free trade agreement between Australia and Indonesia which is approaching ratification.  Many Australian businesses have been involved in ushering this through over the last decade or even longer, but at the same time as we seem to be close to the finishing line, in Indonesia there has been a law put out which appears to substantially affect the independence of the corruption eradication commission.  Given that many Australian businesses are concerned about corruption in this country, what would you say to them?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I’m not about to run a commentary on some domestic matters that are being pursued here in Indonesia, and so I won’t go to those matters specifically, other than to say that in any economic partnership, and it’s true for Australia.  Right now in Australia my Assistant Minister Ben Morton, working together with the Treasurer and the Minister for Industrial Relations, in a separate line of work, is looking to see how we can streamline the system, remove unnecessary regulation, regulations that can sometimes impede investment and create uncertainly.  That’s what we’re doing to ensure that we can attract investment and maintain investment, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.  And so where businesses and pension funds and others are looking to invest in other countries, they’ll obviously be looking to see how they can best do that.  So our example in this area, which is what I can speak to is that we will always seek and will always continue to seek to remove some of those barriers, because at the end of the day, if you want to see investment flow and trade, then you’ll obviously need stability and certainty for investors and that’s what they’re looking for and I believe that’s what IA-CEPA is all about.  It’s about doing exactly that.  I and my ministerial colleagues have had tremendous engagement with the Indonesian ministers here, talking about these very issues and how there can be greater investment from Australia in Indonesia.  And the IA-CEPA in particular has some very big components that deal with skills transfer and education opportunities, and we are looking forward to those being realised by Australian universities up here in Indonesia.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister on the freedom of the press, that you just mentioned that you’re a supporter of.  Do you think that foreign journalists, and indeed foreign diplomats, should be free to visit Papua and West Papua, where we have all been banned for at least the last month?

PRIME MINISTER: Simply to say that this is an issue we discussed today, and the approach that we’ve always taken to these issues is to encourage an openness on these matters.  And I’ve got to say, in all of my engagement with President Widodo I have found in him, personally, someone who has a great passion for Papua and for the living standards and conditions of the people of Papua – from President Widodo himself.  It’s a matter that’s often discussed in our Pacific forums and I understand that at the recent election he secured over ninety percent of the vote in Papua.  If I could get that in Cook back home I’d be very happy.  But point being that he’s been there thirteen times as President, which is more than any of his predecessors, and I think the shows at his level, I think a dedication and ear to the challenges that are there, and that is something I welcome. So when he and I discuss these matters, I’m discussing them with someone that I think has a keen understanding, a keen interest, in actually seeking to address these issues in the best possible way.  But ultimately it’s a matter for the Indonesian government, and we respect the Lombok Treaty absolutely, and it’s a matter for their judgement and decisions.  But we have the type of relationship, both as two countries and myself, with the President, to be able to discuss these issues in a very constructive way.

JOURNALIST: And on your meeting with the Sultan of Brunei, similarly there have been issues recently that have hit the headlines there.  Did you discuss the further implementation of Sharia Law and how that impacts on human rights in Brunei?

PRIME MINISTER: I have to say that the meeting with the Sultan today was a very brief one and there was a particular item that we were keen to discuss there and that was about Australia’s engagement with ASEAN.  But that matter has been raised and has been dealt with at a Ministerial level.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister we’re in the fabulous building.  It cost $400 million.  President Widodo wants to build a new capital.  Can you promise Australians that tax payers won’t spend another $400 million on another embassy on Borneo?

PRIME MINISTER: Well let me talk about why this embassy was built here and it has the security that it has today.  You can go out into the garden and you can see the memorial to the people who have lost their lives when our embassy was the subject of a bombing attack.  And so I’m never going to make excuses for the fact that we will always make sure that our officials, whether they’re working here in Indonesia, in Jakarta, or anywhere else around the world, they will have the facilities and the workspaces which is safe and enable them to do their job, and that is the promotion of Australia’s national interest.  Now it is not up to Australia as to where a country puts its capital.  That is a matter from them.  The President and I actually discussed it today and obviously this is something that has a long timeline.  In fact we discussed the fact that not far from the where this site is, in Balikpapan is where my grandfather actually served out the last part of his time during the Second World War when he was there with the 7th AIF.  So that is a matter for Indonesia, and we would obviously, as a government, through those processes be looking to make sure that as best as possible, that our people are equipped, positioned and able to prosecute our interests as well as they do under the Ambassador here today.

JOURNALIST: Does that just mean that building another embassy costs $400 million in Indonesia?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I think the question is frankly, very premature.  This is not a matter that I expect to come before me in this budget cycle or any one soon.  There is an enormous amount of work still to be done I think on that matter, and it’s entirely a matter for the Indonesian President and the Government of Indonesia and when decision are made and plans are laid, and all these sorts of things, well I think that’s the time when we can talk about those issues.  But I don’t think there’s any event of any sort of significant allocation of any sort being made for those purposes any time soon.

JOURNALIST: Ita Buttrose has given a speech at the Lowy Institute where she flagged a return to the days of more international broadcasting as a soft power tool.  Would your government consider funding that?

PRIME MINISTER:  Well we are already doing that.  What I have funded the ABC to do more of, is greater participation in broadcasting in regional areas.  That’s where I’ve got their attention at the moment – out serving our regional and rural communities, which they do such a fabulous job at.  And the most recent increases that we gave the ABC were actually focussed on that job within Australia.

A big part of the Pacific Step Up was being able to access a great amount of Australian content – largely entertainment content and others kinds of cultural content which is part of the social diplomacy effort.  And we’re working with a whole range of different broadcasters and content providers on those issues, as we should.  But right now, I’m keen for the ABC to remain very focussed on the communities in Australia and the additional support that we gave to them to support rural and regional communities.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister you’ve said that the drought is the number call on the budget.

PRIME MINISTER: Correct.

JOURNALIST: Is the drought an important enough issue to merit a cross-party cabinet?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I’ve noticed that point.  If we as a government continue to consult widely and listen, most importantly, to people in rural and regional Australia.  But I do note that even at a time, even when Australia actually was at war, there was no such war cabinet as described by the leader of the opposition.  So they can explain the context of the nature of their proposal, but we were elected to get on with the job, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.  I think those sorts of proposals are novel, but they sort of, don’t bear out against Australia’s government experience.  If you’re not having a war cabinet involving non-government members in an actual time of war, and I point out that at the time of World War II breaking out, Sir Robert Menzies then, in the UAP who had sought to form coalitions both with the Labor Party and the Country Party at the time at a time of war, and that didn’t come to effect and ultimately a Labor government was formed at that time under John Curtin.  So they can make those proposals, but our government is filled, both in Cabinet and on our benches, of Australians who have a direct experience and live in drought affected communities, right across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, and indeed from other states where drought has affected them in the past.  And so we have the right people and our ears are wide open and the commitments we’ve made on the drought continue.  It is a rolling response. 

Since returning from the United States we have announced a series of measures – whether it’s increased support directly to farm households through changes we’ve made to the Farm Household Allowance, both on its eligibility and indeed the additional supplementary payment; in additional support to communities through the Drought Communities Program – which is the second phase of what we do to respond to drought – helping those districts, towns and communities affected by drought; and thirdly, the significant announcements we’ve made in relation to water infrastructure all around the country – twenty one projects, two very significant projects announced just last weekend at Dungowan and throughout western New South Wales, looking after the long-term water resilience needs of Australia with infrastructure to support that program.  So we have a clear plan, we’re going to get on with the plan, and we’re also going to work closely with the states and territories.  On the issue of things like our fodder and freight subsidies, they come specifically into the remit of the state governments, and the New South Wales and Queensland governments have existing fodder and freight subsidies and whether they’re to be changed or expanded upon, well that’s a matter for those state governments.  I note the New South Wales’ government I think, overnight, yesterday, made further announcements of community support on drought, and I welcome that.  The Farmers’ Federation this week released their policy statement on drought and it aligns absolutely significantly with the responses that the Government has been making and I note that they didn’t call for additional freight and fodder subsidies from the states and territories, but that’s matter for the NFF.  So we will continue on responding and supporting Australians who are living through this drought.  We can’t make it rain, we can’t make it like it was before it stopped raining, but we can continue to help Australians make the decisions that they are making through the course of this drought and supporting them as we can and as we should, and we’ll continue to do that and we’ll consult with everybody, and just get on with the job.

JOURNALIST: Did you talk about the events in Northern Syria with President Jokowi today and the possibility of the return of foreign terrorist fighters, and what actions Australia and Indonesia and its other partners will take in this region against that.

PRIME MINISTER: Yes it was a brief discussion on those items today and not a surprising one because we both have nationals who are caught up in what’s happening there.  It was a matter that I’m sure will get more discussion when we meet again.  President Widodo is being inaugurated today so we weren’t going to have a long meeting on these matters today, but we will certainly return to them when we hook up again at the East Asia Summit in the not too distant future, because we do meet regularly about these things and are in quite regular contact with each other.  But that is a challenge, as is our shared effort in combatting terrorism in our region.  This is something that I know is very high on the President’s agenda with Australia on our cooperation, and it’s very high on our agenda with Indonesia.  And we have had great success working closely together and we acknowledge the deep trust that exists between Australia and Indonesia in our operational and strategic cooperation when it comes to counting terrorism within our region.  And I thank the President, and I thank the entire institutional infrastructure that goes in behind this relationship.  It’s deep, it’s experienced and there’s a deep sense of trust too, which I think makes it work incredibly well.  So thank you very much for your attention.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42472

Visit to Indonesia for the inauguration of President Widodo

19 October 2019

Prime Minister

I will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia on 19-20 October 2019 for the inauguration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Australia is a close neighbour, partner and friend of Indonesia. I look forward to travelling to Indonesia again to reaffirm our unique bond and shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Building on the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that President Widodo and I announced last year, I look forward to furthering our cooperation on trade and investment, maritime issues, security, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, infrastructure and education. The Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) signed in March this year will help unlock the enormous potential of our economic relationship, which benefits both countries.

I look forward to congratulating President Widodo on his electoral victory and building on the strong friendship and deep partnership between our two countries.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42471

Radio Interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB

18 October 2019

Prime Minister

RAY HADLEY: Prime minister, good morning.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for having me on the programme.

HADLEY: Thank you for joining me. If we can get to the international matters first. You were recently in the United States and everyone wants to give it to Donald Trump over a range of issues, but he appears to have been rather successful here in getting the Turkish army to back away from the north Syrian border and try and bring peace to the area for five days and then maybe a full time peace. And for that, I guess he's going to be complimented, hasn't he?

PRIME MINISTER: Well yes. And look is an ongoing challenge. There's no doubt about that. And what we're dealing with here, let's be clear is the unilateral aggressive action of Turkey. That's what's happening here. They're the ones who are going cross the border. And I'm pleased that the situation has halted for now. And clearly, the very strong economic reaction by the United States that can have a very significant impact on Turkey has contributed significantly to this outcome. And that's a good thing. That said, it is still an incredibly dangerous place. And it's a place where, you know, the suggestion that Australians should be sent in to get people out of there and things like this is, I think, a suggestion that really doesn't comprehend the real risks that are there. They are they are genuine and they are real and they're under constant assessment by us.

HADLEY: Now, I think generally, I know there are some women and children there who went there of their own volition, the women that is, with husbands, Australians. But there was a fear that if the Kurds had to come to the border to fight, they'd leave these people unguarded. Now, I've checked. That hasn't happened yet. They're still being guarded, guarded by the Kurds, but they just walk away and they disappear into the aether. We wouldn't know whether we're going to Europe or trying to make their way back to Australia, I guess.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's true. And that is a reasonable fear. As you say, that hasn't occurred as yet. And I think the stabilization of things in the last little while will protect against that somewhat. But obviously there's no guarantees. But I think you've set out the circumstances as to how people have found themselves in this situation pretty clearly. And so, we also have some pretty strict rules that we’ve passed through the parliament, which you would have talked to Peter about regularly, on your program, about the temporary exclusion orders and other things. But we've got to be clear that that doesn't provide any, you know, absolute guarantee in these circumstances either, because it's often very difficult to prove offences in these cases. So, you know, we have to remain absolutely vigilant on this. And we are and we've got to put the national interest and the safety of Australians here in Australia first, when we make these choices, as well as those who some are suggesting should be put in harm's way to extricate, it's a very dangerous place. And I think there's a concerning naiveté about the real situation on the ground there.

HADLEY: Just back to Donald Trump. And I say this sincerely. Most politicians, I deal with at a high level like yourself, the sort of person you are when you were a [inaudible] for the continuous call team for Southern districts is the same sort of bloke you are now. Even though you're in the highest position in the land.

PRIME MINISTER: And a water boy up there in Fiji.

[Laughter]

HADLEY: Exactly. I say that not just about you, but about Anthony Albanese and Shorten and a whole range of other people I've met over time who just appear to me to be the same sort of people when I talk to them officially as I talk to them unofficially, what sort of bloke is Donald Trump like? Like is he the same when you talk to him, you know, as a one on one person, like just two blokes talking together as opposed to-

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah well what you see is what you get, he's a very straight up sort of guy and he's very straight up with you. He's very clear about what the position of the United States is. But he's also very clear, particularly in Australia's case, about how much he genuinely values and appreciates the relationship with Australia. And on the simple basis that we stump up, he respects people who stump up and carry their own weight. And that's what we do, whether it's in defence or elsewhere, we are independently minded. He respects the fact that we're very clear about our own views, that we value the relationship, you know, in the same ways they do. But it's a relationship where each people, each party says, you know, we know with each other to rely on and we know that we both do what we have to as part of the relationship. So that's the basis of this respect. And it's clear and I welcome it that we sort of get on very well at a personal level. But, you know, he's the president and I’m the Prime Minister. It's our job to ensure that this alliance, which has kept Australia safe since 1951, continues to be the most important bedrock to our security both now and in the future.

HADLEY: And you're right, I did speak to Peter Dutton yesterday about a whole range of things, including Medivac. Now, I mean, it was almost as predictable as night following day when this and there's a whole range of architects of this. It's as I wrote it yesterday and today it's Mr Turnbull throwing the toys out of the cot. And it's Kerryn Phelps, it’s the crossbenchers. It's the Labour Party to vote this upon us. And I don't think anyone, even those who fervently supported it, thought we’d get to the stage where three doctors say to a young woman, yes, you've got a problem. Come back to Australia, oh bring your brother with you because he's your support person, oh bring dad that old criminal with you as well, because we want him here. We just need a few more criminals here. I mean, it's just so silly and so predictable that I get angry thinking about those who were wavering about it and voted for it.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, exactly. And we said this would happen and it has been. There are those who have come under this arrangement, which Peter has sought to prevent. And they've come, over 130 people now have come. And there are specific cases where it’s sort to frustrate that. But the laws are as the laws are, and they were done on the basis for the same reason as you and I used to talk about many years ago, where there's this naiveté that you can change the rules and they think it won't have any impact. Well, of course it will. The thing about border protection is you've got to be consistent. You've got to be clear and you've got to hold the line. And the minute you show that you're prepared to crack it, well, that's when you start losing. And Australia can't afford to lose on border protection under our, you know, under our administration. And from my time as minister and certainly Peter's time, who’s done a great job there. And he continues to today. We will hold that line. And so we're now looking to restore what was lost earlier in the year during that period of time. And we're seeking the support of the Senate to do that. Now I don't expect the support of the Labor Party. They're always happy to weaken border protection laws. And Kristina Kennelly is making it an Olympic sport for her. She's even frightening her own people how far she's going to the left.

HADLEY: Well, she's captain, coach, and sole selector when it goes to that, swinging to the left, and the front page of The Australian says it all. I mean, they're leaking like a sieve to Simon Benson, saying someone needs to rein this woman in.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, they do. I mean, it just in this past week, they did three deals with the Greens when it came to issues of national security and our visa laws. And this is pretty serious stuff. And she had that nightmare event the other week in the Senate, which fortunately got recommitted. But she was working against police powers to get people's identities at the airport. I mean, seriously, I mean, she is their lead person on national security for the Labor Party. You know, I think people can make their own judgment on that.

HADLEY: Anyway to domestic issues again. You've copped a hammering out your interview with my colleague Alan Jones. And mainly it's about people, from what I've heard, that you didn't show the sort of empathy that you required were required to show for the drought affected farmers. Now, I know that you've got a limited amount of money to spend in the budget on a whole range of things, infrastructure, but there has been a fair response to what is a dreadful, dreadful time, not just for farmers. I made the point before I started speaking to you. There are rural communities out there and I hear from them because I broadcast to many of them, you know, department stores, general stores, produce stores, the bloke that sells machinery, the bloke that sells cars, the bloke that sells even ride on mowers to people in the area, all doing it tough because no one's got any money. Maybe you could go through your response so far as a government to illustrate to people what you will do and what you have done and what you're going to do.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, there are three parts to it. The first, direct financial assistance to farming and grazing families. The second, relates to supporting those communities that are impacted by the drought. So not farmers and graziers themselves, but they work in rural towns and districts which are heavily dependent on the income that comes from the agricultural sector. And then there's the long term issue, which goes to the issue of water infrastructure, pipelines, dams and things like that. On the first one, the most significant thing we've done is relaxing and freeing up the farm household allowance. Now, last year what we did was we gave them an additional payment on top of the regular payments they were getting. So that was an additional $12,000 dollars per family. And what I announced just yesterday, which has been in the works for a little while. Was a further $13,000 dollar payment per family for those who were at the end of that four year period. So what that means is for families that have been going through the drought over the last four years, they will have been paid $125,000 dollars through the farm household allowance. And that is significantly up on where it has been previously.

HADLEY: Is that a loan or is that-

PRIME MINISTER: No that's a grant. That's money in the pocket. That's put the food on the table. $125,000. And that means that all of those changes we put in place for the farm household allowance, which means that they can access it, even though, and I hope they are earning off farm income as well, because people go in and work as a nurse in the town or they use their skills to work on some projects that may be going on somewhere else. Some have to go into the cities and send money back home. Now, if you're applying for a welfare payment, well, you know, you can't go and earn up to $100,000 dollars and still get this payment. But farmers can. We changed that so they can earn up to $100,000 thousand dollars off the farm and they can have assets over, or around about $5.5 million dollars and still access this payment, which would have been giving them over four years just over that, $125,000 dollars per family. So that is that is how one of the principal ways through which we provide support to directly to the households on the farm and the grazing properties. Now, on top of that, what we did is we provide over $50 million dollars to groups like Vinnies and the Salvos and the Country Women's Association as well, to provide direct grants of up to $3000 dollars. Now, that can go not just to those in the farm households themselves, but to those in the local districts, in communities as well who are doing it tough. So that's just direct support. Cash assistance that is provided and it's encouraged to be spent within the towns themselves so they can keep those towns alive. Now, on top of that, as part of the second wave, what we've done is put into over 120 council areas affected by drought, $1 million dollar payments into each. And that's done everything from get people together for a community event where all the local suppliers are the ones who get the contracts to provide, you know, the party hire or whatever it is. And it's very important to keep rural communities together during times of drought. They get a lot of courage and support from talking to each other and coming together as a community. But on top of that, they're doing things like carting water and they're doing things like building roads and upgrading roads and swimming pools and local works, which keeps the money in the town because we got to try and keep the economies in the towns ticking over. So the local repairer and mechanic and the local grocery store and things like that can stay afloat because they're getting affected as well. So all up. I mean, we've talked about the $7 billion dollar figure. Well, $5 billion of that is the Future Drought Fund, which is dealing with water resilience well into the future. But there's over two billion dollars now of what is direct assistance either in these payments that I've just talked about or things like, for example, if a farmer during this tough time and they've got some money they pull down from their farm management deposit scheme, wants to go and upgrade their turkey nests or some piping that they've got on their property. There's $50 million worth of grants for that as well, to help them get on and do it. So it hasn't been a set-and-forget thing Ray, and I appreciate you give me the opportunity to run through these points. It's not a set-and-forget thing. We keep extending it all the time in response to what's happening on the ground. Now I wish and have prayed that it would rain by now, but it hasn't. And it's unlikely that it will anytime very soon. Let's hope it will in the not too distant future. But we will keep responding. We will keep adding things. Things like fodder subsidies and freight subsidies, I know there's been a lot of discussion about that, and those are things handled by the state governments. That's not done by the federal government. There is a national drought agreement which was confirmed after our drought summit. And so they are things that are handled by the New South Wales and Queensland governments. They both have programs for that. If those programs were to be expanded, well, that's a matter for those governments. I know the National Farmers Federation are not recommending that, but that's for them to determine and for them to address. And that's how it's done. So I don't mind people giving me a whack over you know what they think we should be doing more on our own turf. But they've got to sort of pick the right government to have a crack at if it’s about something we don't do. And I'm not criticising those state governments here, but I am saying clearly that if there is to be more freight and fodder subsidies, then that's something that the state governments have to consider.

HADLEY: Okay. One of the things I read from email questions from listeners in rural parts where would broadcast to, is the often-asked question about breeding stock, which I mean that takes them into the future. You know, it’s stock that has been bred over years and years and years and whether it's dairy cattle, or beef cattle. It's, you know, it's very important to their future. And if they can't feed them nor water them, well they perish. And they’re sold, you know, cheaply just to survive. Is there any way that breeding stock can in some way be indemnified or protected?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's a number of ways farmers manage the breeding stock. And the best is, as you saying, they like to hold onto them. They also keep their genetics as well in, you know, in test tubes and things like that. And we saw how important that is up in North Queensland where the floods hit, where they didn't have any time to get their stock to the saleyards to actually try and get some income before the crisis hit there. Their stock was gone within 48 hours. And so that's how they're going to have to replenish their herds up in North Queensland after those floods. Parts of those areas are now going back into the drought. And what we've got through the Regional Investment Corporation is the opportunity for farmers to access very, very low cost loans when they go back into rebuilding their herds, because the drought will break and then there'll be the rebuilding phase. And that's where we're going to be with them again. Now, if there is to be additional fodder and freight subsidies for those breeding herds, then that is that is what the state governments are directly responsible for, our job is to look after the income support to the farming families themselves and I’ve outlined what we're doing there. So on breeding stock, that's a very legitimate issue. And it's one that I that I know that the Farmers’ Federation and others would work closely with the state governments to see what additionally can be done there. But that is a task for them and we work closely with them.

HADLEY: Given that you had no luck, nor did the Treasurer, in relation to the banks and interest rates, what about banks? And they, I think, I hope they’re a bit kinder than they used to be to the farming families who just can't service mortgages. They can't repay it. Can you exert pressure on them, and will you exert pressure on the banks to try and just back away from these poor people?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have and there are a lot of circumstances where they have done just that. I've got to say that going into this a year ago, and I'd actually already started the process when I was Treasurer, getting all of the banks that are particularly active in these areas and getting them together. And the Treasurer continues to get them together. The thing that the banks have, which often, you know, the Governments’ don’t is they've got a much more detailed understanding of what's happening on every single property, because they have the direct relationship, they know the finances, they know where the hurt is greatest. And we've been working with them to try and understand where the issues are more acute in terms of where we're able to deliver our assistance. Now, a lot of these banks have been able to take some of the decisions they have with the landowners because the property prices have been good and the commodity prices have also been good. So while you can never say there's any real blessings in a drought, those are two advantages the banks have to go into more lenient arrangements on income, interest repayments, and interest holidays and things like this because it's in the bank's interest to try and keep people viable and going forward into the future. So the feedback I've had and I would say that, you know this, it's not universal. Of course, there's going to be cases where people haven't done the right thing, but that hasn't been an issue, I've had some positive feedback from how that's been playing out on the ground. And I would hope that we continue and that's why we keep talking to the banks, because it's in their interest for this all to, you know, all hold together.

HADLEY: Okay. Let me come back to the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund, capital investment. You've got 21 water infrastructure projects on the go right now. I can't blame you. I really can't blame your predecessors. And I'm talking way back to the 1940s. They started talking about Dr. John Bradfield watering the southern part of the continent with water that's accumulated in the northern part. And successive governments have looked at each other and said no it’s too hard we can't do that. I mean, you are now, you know, providing, you know, with your state partners, in New South Wales and Queensland, the two states worst affected at the moment, the opportunity to build some dams and that'll take care of places like Tamworth and into the future, Dubbo and big cities. But what are we doing? You know, because you see all that rain. You just spoke about what happened in North Queensland when the farmers lost all their breeding stock in the flood, that water just went straight into the Gulf or straight out to the ocean and I mean, it’s just, it's just infuriating to think,

PRIME MINISTER: And it silted up the Gulf of Carpentaria too, which creates another problem with the Port…

HADLEY: So let me go back to what, I digress there, what are we doing to try and make sure in 20 years’ time whoever is sitting in this chair and whoever is sitting in your chair aren’t still talking about water in Australia?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, some of the big projects, that you know, we are moving on, particularly up there in the north, where you do get a high level rainfall, is the Rookwood Weir and we're getting a bit done-over on that. I've got to say. I don’t want to make this a partisan thing with the state government. But what is good about the announcement we made with the New South Wales government on the weekend was not only were they prepared to stump up on Dungowan and the other projects, but they were also prepared to clear the way on the regulation and the approval processes to get it going quickly, now John Barilaro says he should be able to get that started next year. That's what he said when we're up there. That's great. You know, we've got the projects like the Rockwood Weir, the Emu Swamp Dam, Big Rock’s Weir, we've got a Hughenden Irrigation Project, which is one we announced, it was about 9 months ago. And we've got some real roadblocks on getting that going. That’s $180 million dollars we're putting into that project and that's all committed. So there is some really big dam projects we're getting going. They will form part of the national water grid, which is connecting up all of these projects, whether its weir projects, dam projects, pipeline projects. I mean, Gladys mentioned when we were out up at Dungowan on the weekend that if they hadn't done the pipeline out to Broken Hill when they were criticised for doing that a number of years ago, they'd be running out of water now. Now, I know many towns right across New South Wales and Queensland are running out of water. And the New South Wales Government has given me an absolute commitment that they have the plans and we've seen them in place to ensure those towns continue to get that water. But let's be honest, when you're living through a drought, then you can't make it like it was before the drought. That's an unrealistic expectation. But the New South Wales Government will be ensuring that those towns will be getting the critical water they need. But it obviously won't be the flows that were there, obviously, before the drought.

HADLEY: Just one final thing, because we’ve got to wrap things up. But Pauline Hanson spoke with my colleague Alan Jones this morning about this inquiry in to the dairy industry. She made the point that it was not supported. The vote was not supported by your government. Now, the dairy industry is obviously a very important industry to this country, and there's something crook about it. I think we could agree on that point. Why wouldn't the government support an inquiry? a Senate inquiry led by Pauline Hanson into what's wrong with the dairy industry? What’s gone wrong with it?

PRIME MINISTER: We've had an ACCC review into this. And what that has produced is the mandatory Dairy Code of Conduct, which we're fast tracking. And that'll come in through legislation over the balance of this year and that'll be standing up at the start of next year. Now, that is an enforceable code that deals with the dairy farmer and the wholesaler. Now, what happens is there's a grocery code which deals with the retailer, you know Coles and Woollies and all of them and the wholesaler that's covered by the retail code. But what happens is the wholesaler will then just pass on that arrangement with Coles and Woollies directly onto the farmers. See there’s someone standing between Coles and Woollies and the farmer. And what we’re dealing with is giving the farmer greater power in that negotiation with the wholesaler. That's what we're bringing in now. The legislation will be in the parliament before we rise this year and that will be enforceable and breaches of the code would be investigated by the cop on the beat, which is the ACCC, which can lead to penalties under that code. So we're putting in laws to strengthen the arm of the dairy farmers in their dealings with the wholesalers. So that's what we're doing. And let's get that in place. I did a very similar thing several years ago when I was Treasurer with the sugar cane farmers and how they were dealing with the mill up in north Queensland. And that's working quite well now. So I've got a bit of form when it comes to intervening in these things. And let's get this one in place. And if we need to do more, well, let's do more.

HADLEY: You see, I think what people are looking for is some sort of guarantee for the dairy farmer. You've just started, most people at home think, oh, well, there's a dairy farmer, there's Coles, there's Woollies. They must talk to each other. There's middlemen there. That, of course, deal with Coles and Woollies on behalf of the dairy farmers, either as a co-operative or individually. And I think what people are saying is the gate price compared to the price you're paying in the supermarket. Someone's getting a big drink, if you'll pardon the pun. And it's not the dairy farmer.

PRIME MINISTER: It's certainly not the dairy farmer that's the case. And other suggestions that have been put around, which is getting in the price regulation area. You know, people want a floor price of $2.50 a litre on milk. Well that’s twice the price of milk today. That's a pretty serious increase in the price for people who are doing it tough all around the country. So, look, I know people want that. Some want that. And I understand why they want it, whether it's the drought, Ray, or whether it's the dairy farmers issues or the water trading issues, I totally get how frustrating and angry it can make people, because I go and talk to people. I go out there, I do go and listen, I do a lot of listening at my job. But, you know, then it's the job to actually work out solutions to it. And we can disagree. Not you and I necessarily, but I can disagree with many people,

HADLEY: Well we have in the past, prime minister.

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: Well yeah! And there's nothing wrong with that. That's fine. I mean, that's you know, we've all got our opinions and we've all got our views. That's why Australia is such a great place.

HADLEY:  Can I finish here with you about their gate price, you said $2.50. I think that's what Pauline Hanson's talking about. Could we get to some sort of stage where we say, well, you know, no, it's being sold for $1.10 or $1.05 at the moment, but can we get to some stage and some decision where the farmer, he can't be, you know, selling it for 20 cents…

PRIME MINISTER: Less than what it cost him yeah…

HADLEY: and it's costing him 80 cents a litre. So can we get to the stage where you say, well, look, you blokes are making a quid there as wholesalers, you'll make a quid as retailers, the poor bugger who's giving the milk. We've got to make sure that he or she gets at least a margin on top of what it cost to make?

PRIME MINISTER: So this is what we hope will come from this Dairy Code of Conduct, which is not a voluntary thing. It's an enforceable thing. There's a cop on the beat on it and failures are you know, pursued with penalties for breaches. And it's designed to give the farmer the negotiating and market power, which they clearly don't have right now, which is why they're getting done over. And so let's get that in place and then we'll go from there.

HADLEY: All right. Always good to talk. Thanks very much for your time.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Ray.

HADLEY: Thanks. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the line.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42470

Radio Interview with John Laws, 2SM

17 October 2019

Prime Minister

PRIME MINISTER: G’day John, how are you? I’ve missed you.

JOHN LAWS: Well, I've missed you. Where have you been? You've been round there talking to that other radio station.

PRIME MINISTER: I've been busy, I’ve got to say. And a big part of what I've been busy on, as I’d love to have a chat to you about today, is how we're responding to the drought that just keeps going on as I know your listeners out there right across rural and regional Australia will know.

LAWS: Ok. But before we get to that, why do you permit yourself to be harangued in the way that Alan Jones harangues you when you could come on- and you do come on this programme and I appreciate that - but why do you put up with that? I mean, you are the Prime Minister of the country. You are entitled to express your point of view without people screaming over the top of you, in an almost hysterical tone.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, you know, I will turn up for interviews everywhere and it's always best when you can have an interview where you're able to respond to questions, there's no doubt about that, wherever you do them. But I'm never one to duck an interview, John, whether they're interviews that are hostile or otherwise. But look, it's important to get your message out and sometimes it's harder than that on other occasions. But, you know, it just goes with the job and I tend not to get too fussed about it.

LAWS: No, well, I suppose that's the best way to be. But a lot of people saw it and a lot of people who listen to this programme, they're the intelligent people, they rather felt that it was a sign of weakness that you let Alan get away with what he got away with.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, people can form their own judgments. I made my point as I do it in every interview. I think we've got a very credible story to tell in terms of the support we're providing, it's very extensive and there are a few additional measures of support which are being introduced into the Parliament today, in fact.

LAWS: As I said this morning - and I'd like to reiterate what I said - I said that I think with you we're in pretty good hands. I mean, I said this is the man who stopped the boats and you did. You didn't just ensure the boats remain stopped as Peter Dutton has done, he stopped them full stop. And you spent time as Social Services Minister overseeing a number of very, very important welfare reforms and the fruits of that work are being seen still today. And of course, you did spend time as Treasurer, handing down several well-received Budgets and you didn't have any of the baggage of Tony Abbott. And you've proven yourself to be a vastly superior campaigner to Malcolm Turnbull. So, really, all the pluses are on your side. I'm not knocking you. All the pluses are on your side.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you, John. That's very generous. Look, I'm just pleased that, you know, we can just get on with the job. I think after the election this year the particular thing I heard expressed by Australians was relief and that we could just get back to stable and certain government, and particularly, you know, the times are quite uncertain. We know what's happening globally and we also know what's happening in the agricultural sector. I mean, our farm GDP, the size of our farm economy has obviously taken quite a hit as a result of the drought. That's to be expected in times of drought. That’s not the first time that's happened, as you and your listeners would know. You've just got to keep your head in these situations. I mean, a lot of people are running around at the moment getting all panicked and wanting crisis measures. Well, no, look, we just need to keep our heads, keep our discipline, not go and blow the Budget. I mean, that's what Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan did. They just, you know, spilt money everywhere in panic and crisis. And I don't think that's what the Australian people voted for. They want us to listen carefully to what the needs are and to respond to them in a very careful way, not blowing money, not raising people's taxes to put up welfare bills and all that sort of stuff. But just be sensible about things. And that's how we have to be are about responding to the drought. We're very committed. We all want the same thing here. Not everyone's going to agree on what the responses are, but there’s a fair bit of agreement. The National Farmers’ Federation came out yesterday with their recommendations and they align heavily with…

LAWS: I know that you recently spoke to one of the farmers who publicly raised concerns about a lack of drought relief. 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, I did.

LAWS: Was he just in the dark? Did he know what was available or he didn't know what was available?

PRIME MINISTER: He said to me, when I went through all the things we were doing, particularly in the area of Farm Household Allowance. And just to remind people, I mean, we extended Farm Household Allowance so people can now get it four years in every 10. So that's a payment over four years of over $100,000. Now, on top of that, last year we made an additional payment of $12,000 for couples and $7,000 for singles. What we're doing today in the Parliament is that when people get to the end of their four years of that Farm Household Allowance, they will get an additional payment of $13,000 for couples and $7,500. So that's new news today on the John Laws programme. They will get that additional payment. And when I rang Mark through this… now, Mark lives up in Bourke,  he runs the local swimming pool. He came off the land quite a number of years ago.

LAWS: He's a good, interesting fella.

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, four years ago. And he used to have a citrus operation up there, he was producing that, but that was well before we got into the circumstances that we have now with the drought. And he runs the local swimming pool. In fact, he was pretty happy that we'd given Bourke Shire a grant to upgrade the swimming pool, which they are going to do next year. So when I ran him through all that, he said, well, Scott, that was the hope I was looking for and he said, well, I'm not quite sure why I don't know these things. So that just means I've got to get out more and more and more and more as I do and just explain what we're doing and once I explain to people what we're doing, I find that they can see the plan. It's to help people right now with real money, just like I was just saying. It's to help the communities as well. And that's a whole range of programs. That's the million dollars we've given to all these shires and they're doing a whole bunch of things. They're doing roadworks, they're actually also running community events with that money, which means the local suppliers get paid to do various things for those events. But importantly, it gets the community together, and when I've been out in rural and regional communities, they get so much support from each other when they get to come together and they are sprawling areas, as you know, and the excuse to get together for a Campdraft or whatever it happens to be is a great thing for the community. They connect with each other, they talk to each other, they help each other, they catch up, just for a short period.

LAWS: But I do think a lot of them are not aware of the help that is available. I don't know that has been promoted enough.

PRIME MINISTER: I agree. So I think we have to promote that more. And of course, and you've been saying this for forever, John, but you know, we've got a plan for the long term as well. And that's why I was up in Dungowan on the weekend and it's we're putting, together with the state government, the money in for that, as well as the other dams around the country and water projects. And the good thing for New South Wales and Victoria, for that matter, is when we bought and took over completely the Snowy Hydro scheme so the Commonwealth now fully owns that, the condition we gave to the state governments when we paid them the money, which was $6 billion, by the way, $4 billion in New South Wales and around $2 billion in Victoria, was it they had to invest all that money back in rural and regional infrastructure. So those dams that they’re building in New South Wales will be paid for by the money we gave them from buying Snowy. 

LAWS: There you go. I mean, the impact of the drought has got to be very, very widespread, hasn't it? I mean, it's going to be having a whole lot of effect on the whole economy.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is. It is. And we've seen a more than 10 per cent fall in farm GDP over the past year, and that's troubling. Obviously, it's troubling, but that's one of the reasons why we've been putting the money back into these drought-affected shires. Because while farmers will get Farm Household Allowance and we've also eased up on the rules for that. Now, if people are fortunate enough and one of the recommendations we got was that a lot of farmers, as you know, in these circumstances, they will go off-farm and get income where they can. They’ll work as contractors, they'll… often in the family, someone's a schoolteacher or something like that or a nurse, and they'll go and get a job in town or in other cases have to go further afield. So we've lifted the income threshold that applies to that payment. So you can now, with the change we're making, earn up to $100,000 off the farm and still get access to those other payments I was talking about and we’ve eased up on the rules a bit. So that’s putting real money - real money - in the hands of real farming families. But then you've got to put money into the shires because the towns have lost a lot of income from the farm incomes farming.

LAWS: But tell me this from what you're saying, and I don’t want to interrupt you, Prime Minister, from what you're saying, it sounds to me as though you're agreeing in principle with what Barnaby Joyce has said.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, he was the drought envoy I set up when I first became Prime Minister and his job was to go and listen to people and report back what they were saying to him. And what Barnaby was saying is you've got to ease up on this Farm Household Allowance on the rules and the complexity and that's really important. You've got to recognise the fact that people who are trying to help themselves are out there getting extra work to supplement the family. But then they're getting knocked over on access to Farm Household Allowance because they're hitting their heads on the income limit.

LAWS: Ok. But it's pretty tough for Barnaby to say some farmers should just walk away from the farm and get another job. I mean, many of those farmers have been in a family's hands for generations. That's not the kind of thing you just want to throw away. It's all very well for Barnaby to say, walk away and get another job. I mean, he gets a reasonable stipend from you and me and other taxpayers, doesn’t he?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, the support we give is four years in every 10. So that's... I mean, no other part of the economy has an income support payment for when times are bad and in farming communities, times are bad because of what's happening with drought. But they can also access that in other circumstances. So if you're running a small business in, you know, on the Central Coast or something like that, if times are bad for you, you can't get access to those sorts of payments. So our support is over and above for rural and regional communities affected by drought, and it should be because it's an important part of our economy that needs to be kept in place, and so that's why we do it. But what I think the other point that Barnaby is making and look, I make a similar point to this extent - the government can't make things like it was before the drought. And we can't, in all cases, ensure that people won't face hard decisions during a drought. And where I get a bit frustrated, John, is when sometimes it's put out there that, you know, we can avoid these difficulties, and we can't do that, there's no miracle that does that other than rain. And, you know, I've been bagged for also suggesting that people should pray for rain. I do. I do regularly and my church does and I know so many churches all around the country are. And good for them. If you believe in that, that's your belief.

LAWS: Ok. But is it working?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, let's hope so. I'll keep at it. In the meantime, I’ll do the practical things of getting money to farmers, getting money into communities to support their local economies and also looking over the horizon. I mean, one thing we did, John, was we put $50 million dollars into grants because for those farmers who are drawing down on their farm management deposit scheme accounts - which is something also we've boosted as well - the best time to actually do a lot of this water infrastructure work is when the dams are full and so they can do further upgrade works on their on-farm water infrastructure. And we put $50 million dollars in and programmes to help them do that. And that also helps the local contractors as well. On top of that, we put $75 million dollars into accelerated depreciation for silage, it was another issue that came up really early that there wasn't enough silage storage facilities on farms. And so that’s why they weren't accumulating their fodder for the times when they need it. So as you can see, there's lots going on, John.

LAWS: Oh, a hell of a lot going on. Something I need to ask you, will you forgive Julian Assange and allow him to come home instead of being extradited to the USA?

PRIME MINISTER: We will allow those court processes to run their course.

LAWS: So there's a long way to go? 

PRIME MINISTER: Yes. 

LAWS: Do you have a personal opinion? Yes, you do, but you won't express it.

PRIME MINISTER: My personal opinion is it is a legal process that should run their course. 

LAWS: I got it. 

PRIME MINISTER: He should face the music.

LAWS: Yes. Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. He should face the music. All right, Prime Minister, it's been good to talk to you. I mean, thank you for your time and I got all the answers I was looking for and I didn't even have to ask you to swear on a Bible.

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's great talking to you, John. I look forward to doing it again soon.

LAWS: Good on you and thank you very much, Prime Minister. 

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42469

Prime Minister's Prizes recognise excellence in science

16 October 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Industry Science and Technology

A pioneering mathematician has received the top award at the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, receiving $250,000 in prize money.

Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger has profoundly influenced the mathematics that underpins computer cryptography used for secure banking, digital signatures and internet connections. Her algorithms have been incorporated into powerful computer systems used in algebra research and teaching.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison congratulated those who were recognised on the night.

“These prizes are a wonderful celebration of our world-leading scientists, mathematicians, innovators, and educators,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our science community plays such a big role in the prosperity of our country. Scientists are the ultimate problem solvers, they grow the economy and create jobs.

“I particularly want to congratulate Professor Praeger on her outstanding contribution to mathematics.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews also commended the recipients for inspiring future generations of Australian scientists and preparing the nation for future economic growth.

“Science supports innovative and productive businesses. It drives economic growth, job creation and improved living standards for all,” Minister Andrews said. 

“Scientific innovations can improve health outcomes for Australians, solve business challenges and make our lives better.

“The Morrison Government understands increasing our science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capability is critical to creating new opportunities for industry and competing in global markets.“

Minister Andrews also applauded the significant number of female winners.

“We’ve gone from just one female recipient last year to five this year, the most ever represented in the awards. I hope this will inspire even more girls and women to be involved in STEM.”

The other major prize, the $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, went to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research team for its role in the development of a breakthrough anti-cancer drug.

Team members Associate Professor Peter Czabotar, Professor David Huang, Professor Guillaume Lessene and Professor Andrew Roberts were recognised for their roles in the development of venetoclax, a drug that can flick a switch within a leukaemia cell to kill the cell, giving patients a vastly improved treatment outcome.

Other recipients on the night included:

• The $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools to Dr Samantha Moyle for leading integrated learning in STEM and being an effective and passionate role model for her students.

• The $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools to Mrs Sarah Finney for raising student interest and participation in science and advocating for a stronger science curriculum in South Australian schools.

• The $50,000 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year to Associate Professor Laura MacKay from The University of Melbourne for her breakthrough work in identifying the role of tissue-resident T cells in protecting the body from infection and cancer. 

• The $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year to Associate Professor Elizabeth New, for pioneering the development of new chemical imaging tools to observe healthy and diseased cells.

• The $50,000 Prize for New Innovator to Dr Luke Campbell, for inventing the nuraphone, headphones that adapt to an individual’s unique hearing to enhance the audio experience.

Full citations, photos, videos and other information is available online: www.industry.gov.au/pmscienceprizes

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42467

Transcript - Radio Interview with Alan Jones, 2GB

15 October 2019

Prime Minister

ALAN JONES: Prime Minister good morning. 

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Alan. 

JONES: Prime Minister, thank you for your time, it is appreciated. I know there have been endless announcements about drought and I don't want to talk to you in the brief time we have about harvesting water. I hope we can address that later because it addresses a problem down the track. But this is the here and now and I don't know whether you know it but as I see it a major political issue has now emerged over the response to the here and now. Can I ask you this - why if the drought response is adequate would a farmer write to me and say this, and I don't mean to offend, I'm just telling you what he said: ‘So you're going to interview Morrison - why bother? I guarantee Australia will have no more confidence in the Morrison Government after your interview than before. I guarantee there'll be no admission from Morrison that his government is seriously lacking in a number of crucial matters, that is the farmers. No implementation of a Bradfield-type scheme, no gas reservation policy, no new clean coal-fired power station, continuing taxpayer funding renewables and many more. After the interview, Alan, I'll email you and I told you so.’ How do you respond to that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, Alan, what I'm doing is doing exactly what I told the Australian people I was going to do on whether it's on energy, on water, our support for farmers in the drought. And we just finished the most recent financial year where we put an additional $318.5 million in additional support to farmers and everything from additional support through the Farm Household Allowance, the support for mental health in communities, the funding that we've been putting into communities directly through local councils like up in Bourke Shire and doing that right across the country. On top of that, there are the investments we've been making in water infrastructure and we can talk a bit more about that. You know about the Dungowan announcement from the weekend where we upped our straight grant investment in that project from $75 million together with the other one at Wyangala to around $280 million, so that's a significant further investment. And so whether it's on the drought where we've got just around about $1.3 billion, actually $1.4 billion, that's going in over this period where we anticipate having to support during the drought and then on top of that you've got the Drought Future Fund. So wherever you look at it, it's meeting the immediate needs of farmers, it's about meeting the needs in communities that are affected by the drought and then it's investing for the longer term in the water infrastructure, which is not just dams. It’s pipelines, it’s water infrastructure, it’s on-farm turkey nests, it's all of those things.

JONES: I know you're committed to dams or whatever. I'm talking about that down the track. Some of these farmers won't be alive when that happens. You know, I sent you this call and for the integrity of this interview, I'm sorry, I know you've heard this but for other listeners around Australia, I have to play this. This is a call on Friday. If all of what you say is true - I sent this to you - but in the interests of those who may not have heard it, this is the call that's now been heard by almost 500,000 Australians. Half a million Australians and it has inspired thousands and thousands of comments. I just want to play this and ask you the question - if everything you say is true, why this kind of call to me?

CALLER: I'm calling because at the last election I voted for Scott Morrison. I voted for him because I thought he was our hope. I'm out here in the back of Bourke, mate, our river is going to be dry at the end of December. I’ve got four kids and three of them have moved away because we've got no hope out here. Now, we’re a tough mob out here, we’re a tough mob out here, Alan We are a real tough mob, we put up with drought and we put up with dust storms but we always have hope. Now, I’m an old football coach like you and when I used to coach sides and we'd get beaten I’d say, ‘Don’t worry, fellas, next time we play them, we've got to do this.’ Well, we’ve got no hope, mate. Scott’s not saying to us, he not saying, ‘Listen, we’ve got to build a weir, we’ve got to build a dam, don't worry when it rains.’ We know it’ll rain, we’ve been out here for a bloody 150 years, mate. We know it’s going to rain. But what’s going to happen when it rains? Are we going to be back in this situation? Give us some bloody hope, Scott. My town is dying, the country is dying, and you’re not giving us hope. I’ve got a son that lives in Ballina, he rings me up. I say, ‘When are you coming home? When are you coming home to see me and mum, mate?’ He said, ‘Why, Dad? Why? There’s nothing out there.’ He says there’s nothing to come home to.  

JONES: Prime Minister, if everything you say is correct… now look, the correspondence I've had from this is confirmation of the sentiments this man is expressing. Now, you talk about, you know, Farm Household Allowance which is $250 a week. You talk about mental health down the track and so on now. 

PRIME MINISTER: No, now.

JONES: Well, now. How do you respond? I mean, I've got to a stack...

PRIME MINISTER: I did, I rang Mark yesterday and he and I had a good conversation yesterday. Mark, he runs the local swimming pool up in Bourke and his wife works as a nurse in Bourke.

JONES: I understand all that.

PRIME MINISTER: His dad is the Mayor. He left the land four years ago.

JONES: I know that. He’s a spokesman for the communities.

PRIME MINISTER: I know, I spoke to him yesterday and what I did yesterday is I took him through all the things that I just talked to you about. And he wasn't aware of those things. Now Alan, if you could let me finish, I spoke to him at some length. I took him through all the things we were doing from the issues on water infrastructure through to the supports on Farm Household Allowance and the changes we've made to it, how much we're investing in that in the community. His dad who is the local Mayor said that the money we put into Bourke Shire they were very grateful for. We put a million dollars that they’re going to spend on upgrading his swimming pool next year. And at the end of the conversation, Alan, this is what he said to me. He said this is the hope I was looking for, Scott. That's what Mark said to me yesterday and we had a very good conversation. But I tell you what Mark was also raising with me, Alan, and the issue was not just about drought but it's about the future of rural and regional communities. Droughts are terrible and they are used to dealing with them up in Bourke, but it's about the longer term viability of these towns.  Now, that's why he raised the Bourke Weir with me and I'll be taking that up with the state governments. Obviously, it’s a state government issue. But whether it's that piece of water infrastructure, which can guarantee greater support for the town, that's the importance of the Dungowan Dam which Barnaby has been raising for some time because that secures the future confidence of investors and people investing in Tamworth and the Peel Valley region.

JONES: I know, PM, listen. We know all that. Can I just say to my listeners, by the way, that the Prime Minister was away on Friday. I've got to be fair here. And when he heard about all of this he asked me for the names of some farmers he could ring and to be fair to the Prime Minister he is making these personal phone calls which is very reassuring. But can I just say this to you and I'm not on bended knee but I'm getting close - you're talking about long term viability. I'm talking about today. Right now, the farmers cannot afford any longer fodder and water to keep their breeding stock alive and they can't afford to get it from where it is to where they need it. Now, after years, not months, of drought, why no one in government can tell us - certainly not the global warming advocate Littleproud - no one can tell us how many farms are diabolical today in need, where they are, are they beef, are they sheep, are they horse, are they pig, are they dairy? How many families are involved? Where are they? Now, these people, Prime Minister, cannot survive today. They are sending the breeding stock to the saleyard to be slaughtered. They're walking off their farms. They need cash now, now, just as we gave a billion dollars to Indonesia over a tsunami. This is a drought tsunami and they need cash to feed their breeding stock so they don't have to sell. They can't afford the feed, they can't afford the water and they can't afford the freight. Now, you’re saying we've got a freight subsidy - they can't afford anything. And as I said to one farmer, and I told you this a week ago, I said how are the banks going? And he just looked at me with this forlorn look and he said, ‘How much further can you go beyond $1.3 million?’ Prime Minister, they're gone, they're gone. They have to, they can't survive today. I'm not talking about long-term viability. What can you do today by way of cash injection to individual farmers to enable them to keep their breeding stock and not send them to the saleyard for slaughter?

PRIME MINISTER: Alan, as I just said to you in my first response to your first question, the direct cash grant support going into farming communities, including directly to farmers…

JONES: They’re not getting it. They’re not getting it.

PRIME MINISTER: Alan, if you could let me finish, is $318.5 million. Now, we’re going to do a…

JONES: I don't know where the money is, Prime Minister, I don’t know where it is.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I can tell you where it is if you give me…

JONES: Where?

PRIME MINISTER: You've asked me to come on the programme and I’m happy to do it, love to, and let me tell you where that $318 million goes. There was a $129.5 million which was extending the Farm Household Allowance.

JONES: $250 a week.

PRIME MINISTER: There was $5 million in rural financial counselling services.

JONES: Counselling.

PRIME MINISTER: There was $115.8 million that went directly into communities, drought communities, into individual shires, a million dollars in each. 

JONES: PM, how does that feed a cow? PM, how does that feed a cow?

PRIME MINISTER: I’d like to answer you…

JONES: How does that feed a cow, PM?

PRIME MINISTER: And I’m sure your listeners would like to know where that $300 million-plus has gone in the past year. $15 million to help them with looking after the pests and weeds on their property. There's...

JONES: How does that feed a cow? How does that feed a cow?

PRIME MINISTER: Alan, if you’ve got pests and weeds which are running…

JONES: Oh, PM, don’t talk to me. I’m a farmer’s son, you’re not.

PRIME MINISTER: Farmers are telling us directly, Alan. And as you know, the fodder subsidies and the freight subsidies are provided by state governments. That's part of the National Drought Agreement.

JONES: They can’t afford their component of the subsidy, they can't afford it.

PRIME MINISTER:  Alan, what I'm telling you is that the fodder subsidies and the freight subsidies are handled by state governments. The direct financial…

JONES: I know, it’s a national disaster, PM. Take over the whole show. Why don’t you take over the whole show? It’s a national disaster. You say Farm Household Allowance. Now, PM, come on. You go and tell Jenny that she can live on 250 bucks a week. They get $250 a week.

PRIME MINISTER:  It’s not just $250 a week, Alan.

JONES: It’s $250 a week.

PRIME MINISTER:  It's not just that because unlike any other form of income support in the country... if you live in the city and your business goes bust or you lose your job, then you have access to Newstart and that's available to everybody across the country.

JONES: How does that feed a cow and to keep it alive?

PRIME MINISTER: But if you are on a farm property and you are a farmer or a grazier you get access during drought periods, and not just in drought periods, to the Farm Household Allowance.

JONES: Well, PM, why are they walking off? Why are they walking off? Why are they sending their cattle to slaughter? If we lose the breeding stock…

PRIME MINISTER: Because it’s a drought, Alan, that's why. 

JONES: Well, how can you make sure we don't send our breeding stock to slaughter?

PRIME MINISTER: Alan, there is... the government, whether it's state, federal or anyone else, we can do a lot of things to help people try and get through this. But the government cannot make it rain. And the government can't make life as it was before the drought. And if anyone is suggesting that could be done then they are lying to the people of rural and regional Australia.

JONES: I'm asking you… we know that.

PRIME MINISTER: That is an unrealistic expectation.

JONES: We know that, PM, seriously.

PRIME MINISTER: So we will keep investing, Alan.

JONES: No.

PRIME MINISTER: We will keep investing and keep responding. And I was at the National Farmers Federation 40th anniversary last night.

JONES: I know.

PRIME MINISTER: And the number of farmers who came up to me and said we thank the government for the support they're providing. 

JONES: Well, I must be talking to none of them. I must see none of them. PM, I'm asking you again the question - in anything you've said to me today, how does that encourage a farmer to say as a result of what Scott Morrison told Alan Jones today I won't have to sell my cattle, my breeding stock? I will be able to feed them next week. I will be able to get the fodder and water which I can't afford now and I will be able to get it from Victoria but I can't afford the freight now. How in anything that you have said to me today will we be able to prevent the farmers from selling their breeding stock and if you sell the breeding stock then the rural industry is dead.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it depends on each farm, Alan. There are farmers with farm management deposit schemes, there are farmers who are accessing farm household allowance, there are farmers who in many instances…

JONES: But no one can tell me where the farms are, Scott.  No one can tell us where the farms are.

PRIME MINISTER: We've been doing a lot of work on that since the Drought Summit…

JONES: But no, you’ve got this Major General Stephen Day, you’ve got this Stephen Day…

PRIME MINISTER: Alan, if you stop talking over me then I could probably answer your question. If you could stop talking over me…

JONES: Well, could you just tell me why Stephen Day hasn’t released his report? He's the co-ordinator general for drought.

PRIME MINISTER: He provided that report to the government and the report will go and it's coming through Cabinet at present and his report has already informed so much of what we've done already.

JONES: Well why can't we see it? Why can’t we see the report?

PRIME MINISTER: The Cabinet is finalising its final response to that report, in the same way that the work that Barnaby Joyce did for us ensured that we could change a lot of the elements of the Farm Household Allowance. One of the things Barnaby told us was that when you're doing the Farm Household Allowance you've got to ease up on when there's off-farm income that people have gone and earned because if they can't earn money on the farm, so they've gone into town and they're earning money there where they can and in some cases they've gone into the city and they're sending money back to the farm. So you can't count all that money when you're assessing their eligibility for Farm Household Allowance. So we've made that change as well. Now, Alan, I know - we both want the same thing. We want the farmers and the communities to be able to get through this drought but we can't kid ourselves that there is a magic wand and a magic cash splash that is going to make this thing totally solved. 

JONES: We gave Indonesia a billion bucks without asking any questions.

PRIME MINISTER: We’re doing more than that in the drought, Alan. We’re doing more than that, we’re doing seven times that.

JONES: I wish we had an hour and a half to talk because there are so many issues.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, there will be plenty more opportunities, I have no doubt.

JONES: I hope so, but let me just ask you this one question. Ok. One of the worst pieces of legislation for a farmer ever - and this is not yours - this was the National Water Initiative in 2004 which separated land ownership from water rights. Since then, you can own and trade water rights. We have an outfit called Duxton Water who state openly that their, quote, ‘Primary objective is to’, quote, ‘Generate annual income through capitalising on the increasing demand for scarce water resources.’ Now, when are we going to say that we can't have a private outfit like Duxton Water earning enough water to fill the Woronora Dam carrying over their water assets each year so that they can increase their profits and such that the Murray River zone the price of irrigated war has gone from a $135 a megalitre to $800 a megalitre. Will you revoke the legislation, prevent people or companies which don't own land from actually owning water?

PRIME MINISTER: We initiated a review by the ACCC into this, they’re the cop on the beat on this very issue for the very concerns that you've raised. So that is underway right now. I mean, as you know that legislation, which basically created a water trading market in Australia, that was done 15 years ago.

JONES: Ok.

PRIME MINISTER: It’s been running since that time and these issues that not just you have raised but many people have raised, that's why we've initiated that review by the ACCC to get to the bottom of the impact of how that is affecting the water price and particularly the impact of speculators. That’s a genuine problem.

JONES: I don't know whether it suits either of us but we’re beaten by the bell. We must, must talk again. These are very critical issues. I thank you for your time. 

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. 

JONES: Not at all. Scott Morrison.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42466

Doorstop - Dungowan, NSW

13 October 2019

Prime Minister

THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, MEMBER FOR NEW ENGLAND: In 1958, Keith and Gwen Sing from Lismore came across here with a Blitz truck to start the construction of the first on Dungowan Dam. And with that they also got finance into the earthmoving plant and built themselves into a major business. The construction of dams is not just the water and the future and the security of regional Australia, regional New South Wales and most especially here in the Peel Valley, the construction of dams is a statement of confidence into the future of the cities and towns that are growing. If we want to decentralise Australia, we must invest in this sort of seminal infrastructure so that the [inaudible]come to town, so that the concrete batching plants keep working, so the tourism industry with the Country Music Festival can be supported. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart the great work that has been done by the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, the Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian, the Deputy Prime Minister and the person whose portfolio this resides in Michael McCormack, and John Barilaro who I know will drive the changes in regulations to make sure this happens efficiently, quickly and I acknowledge the statements of Melinda Pavey and Minister Stokes that they have their shoulder to the wheel on this. This is a clear statement that we mean business. We are dealing with a drought. We hear what you are saying and we are delivering. I’ll hand now over to the Premier.

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Thank you, Barnaby, and can I also acknowledge all of my colleagues that are here today and today is about a partnership between the Federal Government and the New South Wales Government. We will be investing a further billion dollars into much-needed water infrastructure across the state. Already the New South Wales Government in the last two years has provided 60 new bores, 14 new pipelines, but we know that if we're serious about securing our water needs into the future we must - we must - upgrade and build new dams and I'm very pleased to be here at Dungowan. This will be a new dam downstream three kilometres. Also today we're announcing that Wyangala will be expedited as well, Wyangala Dam in the Central West and these two commitments are a billion dollars at least and that will be a 50/50 share between the Federal Government and the New South Wales Government. I want to thank our colleagues to support our efforts in this regard. This is a demonstration when the Federal and State Governments work together about what can be achieved and I want to give everybody our assurance that we will ensure that these dams are built in the best and quickest way possible. And I also want to acknowledge at a state level the efforts of the Deputy Premier John Barilaro who's been on the front foot on this issue for a long time. But today is about acknowledging and thanking the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Deputy Prime Minister and everybody else who's been involved in securing water across the nation. And where New South Wales is concerned, I'm extremely pleased that the feds are joining us in providing that water security not just for today but also for the next generation.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Gladys. I’m very pleased to be here with my colleagues, state and federal. It was a year ago where we held the national drought summit and what flowed from that drought summit was a series of initiatives, a strategy, to combat to respond to the drought. Now that response has three key components. The first of those is to provide that direct assistance to those who are on the land and between New South Wales Government and with the Premier and ourselves and the local governments as well that assistance has been forthcoming. Whether it's been in additional farm household payments, support for mental health, support into local communities being delivered through groups like the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul. Just last year about $300 million and more which was put into the end of June last year. And the same again this year and the same again next year in additional financial assistance and support into these communities and that also includes the second part of the plan which is to deal with supporting the communities themselves. As we've been reminded many times, when the income isn’t coming into the farm, the income isn’t coming into the town. And it's so important that we support those towns and we've been doing that through the Drought Communities Program. But you've also got to look to the future. And that's about building the resilience for future drought events. I mean, drought events are not a surprise in this country. They've been happening for a very, very long time, ever since we've been running properties all across the country. And so you've got to build that resilience and so there have been projects which have been from on-farm water infrastructure, some $50 million going into those projects to support farmers right now, graziers who are upgrading their water infrastructure on-farm their turkey nests, all these sorts of things. That's been getting support under this program. But then there are the big projects and I particularly want to thank the Premier and the Deputy Premier for being a state government that wants to build dams and water infrastructure and not just says they want to do it. But are actually going to do it and roll up their sleeves and ensure that we can get these built. And the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and I couldn't have been more pleased when we got together with the Premier and the Deputy Premier just over a month, about a month ago, as we were fast-tracking where could we fast-track some of these water infrastructure projects as the drought rolled on. And so we worked up a list and then we put two of these two projects here at the top of that list and that's why we're pleased to stand shoulder to shoulder with the state government who at the end of the day, state governments are the ones who've got to dig the holes and dig them deeper and build the pipeline and do all of these things. Our role is to support them in that and so we've been very pleased to do that here today. It is the longer piece in how we respond to the drought. The droughts that will come in the future, the water resources that will support not just the town as we've already seen with the water infrastructure we've seen around here and the pipelines that built are built for Chaffey and so on but the (inaudible) sound but are being built I should say. But it's also about the agricultural communities that will rely on that water resource into the future. So this really does talk to our comprehensive response, our consistent and determined response. And you know what. It's the first call on the budget federally, and it's not set and forget and it's certainly not set and forget with the New South Wales Government and ourselves there'll be more investments as we prioritise things as we look at other ways to support. I mean under the National Drought agreement it's the State Government that's supporting particularly in areas of fodder and transport it's the Commonwealth Government that supports in terms of financial assistance to farming communities. And so it's great to be here today. I also want to thank everyone who's been involved in this but particularly Michael McCormack who is not only the minister responsible as Barnaby outlined earlier but is DPM and is leading the charge on all of this within our government but also to the Premier Gladys Berejiklian for the leadership she's showing I love working with premiers who want to build dams. I was down in Tasmania with Premier Will Hodgman and we've got the Scottsdale project there, making that reservoir bigger and Michael could probably talk about that, he loves that one too. I love working with premiers who want to build dams and thank you so much Gladys for being one of those premiers and I know Barnaby's been looking forward to this project for a long time and he's been a great champion and advocate for this project and he's worked closely with us as we've taken this forward. So with that thank you again I'm going to hand over the DPM to talk more specifically about our involvement.

THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:Thank you Prime Minister and today the dream becomes a reality and you heard from Barnaby Joyce saying that this dam behind us was built in 1958 and it's time that we upgraded, it’s time that we renewed it, it's time that we refreshed what we already have here. This has been an important piece of water infrastructure for the Tamworth region but three and a half kilometres downstream from here we are going to build a very very impressive dam and of course at Wyangala dam in the central west. We're also raising the dam wall there by 10 metres and that is going to be significant. The Mayor of Forbes Shire Council Phyllis Miller when I spoke to her this morning she said well this is fantastic news. This is a game-changer. And she also repeated what the Prime Minister and the Premier have already said this morning and that's what you get when you have a willing state government and a willing Commonwealth federal government working together hand in hand to build a water infrastructure that our country, that our state, so desperately needs. Of course, we have been getting on with the job of building water infrastructure, building dams, of heightening lengthening and strengthening weirs and most importantly although perhaps on a smaller scale building the pipelines to better plumb our nation. So what we're doing here with these two particular projects with Wyangala and with Dungowan is increasing the inland water storage by the equivalent of 1.2 Sydney Harbours. So that's an impressive amount of water that is going to go to security for towns such as Forbes and certainly flood mitigation. Also Tamworth of course but also growing agriculture. We have a plan to grow agriculture federally from the $60 billion dollar industry that it is to $100 billion dollars by 2030 and with increased water security with increased water storage infrastructure. We will do that. We've already got 22 major infrastructure projects on the go at the moment. We've got a five billion dollar investment through the loan facility and through the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund that we're investing in water infrastructure so it's not as if we haven't been doing it but we're now ramping it up we've upped the ante we've upped the ante today as I say today the dream becomes a reality I know how hard Barnaby Joyce has fought for this and I know how pleased John Barilaro the Deputy Premier and the Nationals Leader in New South Wales has also been banging on about this for years. Delighted that we're getting on with the job. I'm delighted that I've been able to work with the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a premier Gladys Berejiklian who share our vision for this nation who share our confidence in this state of New South Wales, and New South Wales I have to say is now very much as it always does, showing the way for the other states and I do hope that other states then can follow this example and build a water storage infrastructure in conjunction with the Commonwealth that we so desperately need, and I'll hand over to John Barilaro to add some further remarks.

THE HON. JOHN BARILARO MP, DEPUTY PREMIER OF NSW: Thank you. Look from every drought there are lessons and this drought of course, a long protracted tough drought on regional rural communities. The lesson is that we need more storage to deal with longer dry spells and this won’t be the last drought, there’ll be more in the future. Today we draw the line in the sand. Today we stopped talking and we get on with a new era of building water infrastructure in regional and rural New South Wales. We've always said if you want to build prosperity in the bush just add water, and we know we need to do that by building new dams, at Wyangala the raising of the dam wall, 650 gigs is an equivalent of a new dam. Here of course at Dungowan, a brand new dam. And of course the investigative work that we're doing with [inaudible]River north of the state means for the first time in this state we've got a plan that will give hope and security to regional and rural communities, to our landholders but more importantly we want to see a regional and rural New South Wales grow. To have growth we need hope, we need infrastructure that allows us to grow and today can I congratulate the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister the Premier of New South Wales the local members in both Barnaby Joyce and Kevin Anderson who isn't here today but champions on behalf of this community because we believe this is the infrastructure that, one- grows the economy, creates jobs, stimulates local businesses; but at the same time gives us a long term water infrastructure to give us some hope in the future. Sort of remind everybody that the New South Wales Government over the past couple of years has spent in excess of three billion dollars in either drought relief and drought support supporting our farmers who are doing it tough and water projects over $800 million dollars. 111 projects on emergency water projects to make sure communities do not run out of water. No different to what we've done at Malpas dam, linked to Guyra pipeline that we officially opened last week. We also announced a new pipeline from Puddledock dam in at the edge of Armidale to go back to Armidale, to make sure Armidale doesn't run out of water. Be it bores up at Tenterfield or new waterworks in places like Cobar. We are geared and ready to support regional rural communities so they don't run out of water. That is our assurance we're going to stand shoulder to shoulder. But today I do congratulate the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Premier to support regional rural communities. And today is a fantastic day for regional rural New South Wales. 

PRIME MINISTER: Happy to take some questions on these projects and the issues that surround them and them when we can move to other matters federal and state and we deal with those in turn. 

JOURNALIST: Premier Berejiklian, your government has said Dungowan Dam was too expensive for several years to upgrade. It's been an issue that's been, I guess the council's been battling with they own this dam. Why are you building a new one. Why not just upgrade this one? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: because we've done the work on it. What was missing in the past was the funds to accelerate the project, and that's why I'm so pleased to announce it with the cooperation of the federal government, the support of the federal government. This is a partnership now and as has been stated, for too long it's been talked about and today we draw the line in the sand and we say both Wyangala dam and Dungowan have to proceed and we've got the resources now to accelerate what's there with the planning work we have done and I'm confident early works will start next year and I'm looking forward to that.  

JOURNALIST: How long will it take to build? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW:  Well we suspect it'll be completed around 2024-25. If we can bring that forward even further we will. But at this stage, it will take around four years.  

JOURNALIST: The feds have already put $75 million on the table, looking at Dungowan dam and Barnaby announced that more than a year ago, is $480 in addition? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Well obviously we'd allocated money for Wyangala dam already and now we're saying we will fund half of the Dungowan dam which is a $450 million dollar project. So at least half of that will come from the State Government. That is a big commitment. And as the Deputy Premier said we need to put things into perspective. This is on top of the $3 billion we invested in regional communities in the last two years alone. Just the last two years we actually invested in excess of three billion dollars to support the drought, farmers doing it tough through the drought, but also to secure our water infrastructure and to have built 60 bores and 14 pipelines in the last 2 and a bit years alone is pretty massive. And of course these dams are the next stage in securing our water security for the future. 

JOURNALIST: You said the Government's attitude to the dam has changed because the funding is there now, where did the funding come from? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Well it's not just the funding it's also the political will. And when you've got a Federal Government backing what you're doing, that gives us the impetus and the momentum to keep pushing forward because ordinarily these things do take time but as the Deputy Premier said we're drawing a line in the sand. We've done the works for that in terms of the planning works, we're confident that we can start early works next year and we're proceeding haste-fully. 

JOURNALIST: But the Federal Government’s always been on board with this? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Well not with the funding, with all due respect both parties have now come together to say we've upped the ante, and we’ve had priorities, let's face it. The Deputy Premier and I in New South Wales have to worry about where people are going to drink their next glass of water. And that's why our priority was,weirs, bores, pipelines. But now that we've secured that, we’re at the next stage and whilst we do have challenges across the state these dams now take our focus. And in New South Wales you can be assured that when we say we're going to do something we do it. We get things done. And now with the support of the federal government the funds in the bank we're able to accelerate these projects.  

JOURNALIST: Who will control the water in the new Dungowan dam, will it be owned by Tamworth Regional Council or the state government? 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Well these are issues that of course, we will move forward with but what is priority for us is having the water, is having the water, is having the water there to support the communities and they’re lovely discussions to be in a position to be able to have because we weren’t able to have those discussions before. But I also want to thank the mayor who is here. For his support, and I know that he's got a big smile on his face today because this community will benefit and we were talking about some of the challenges and opportunities this brings. But this is a good day for this region. 

PRIME MINISTER: Col, did you want to say something mate? 

THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, MEMBER FOR NEW ENGLAND: Col, do you want to tell them like the reason it's downstream is because you’re below [inaudible] creek and it’s a bigger dam with a bigger catchment? 

COL MURRAY, MAYOR OF TAMWORTH REGIONAL COUNCIL: So on behalf of the community I represent today this is a massive milestone event to have the support of our federal government and our state government and I'd really like to acknowledge the leadership that I think will be refreshing right around our nation to see that we've got two governments here that are prepared to collaborate and work together on these these significantly needed major projects, water for our community has been a massive issue for quite a number of years and I would suggest that we would maybe be one of the most water restricted cities in regional Australia over the last 10 or 15 years and it's a great problem to have because our community is growing and this announcement today I believe will halt the businesses that have looked at investing in Tamworth and have gone away to invest elsewhere because the water security just hasn't been here. So this is a milestone event. Mr. Prime Minister and Madam Premier and your deputies I'd like to say on behalf of our community a massive thank you. 

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. 

JOURNALIST: How big will the dam be and are you going to have to buy properties or forcibly acquire them downstream? 

COL MURRAY, MAYOR OF TAMWORTH REGIONAL COUNCIL: The dam at the moment and it hasn't been finally decided, but I would suggest that it's most likely the dam will be around twenty-two and a half gigalitres. Council has already acquired all the properties and continue to acquire properties downstream that may be affected by this potential dam. We have over the last four or five years picked up all of those lands so there is no land acquisition needed for this project. And one of the really important considerations with the new location of the dam is to take in that [inaudible]Creek catchment which represents almost one-third of the potential yield for this valley. 

JOURNALIST: What will this do for the spirits of people in Tamworth. We are doing it tough, water restrictions? 

COL MURRAY, MAYOR OF TAMWORTH REGIONAL COUNCIL:  This will be a massive spike of energy I think for our community, our resilience has been severely tested but a lot of that is about confidence we've got such a big part of our regional economy is our food processing cluster which is acknowledged as being the largest food processing cluster in Australia. And you know there's many many thousands of jobs involved in that sector and we've had discussions with those business leaders and worked very closely with our state agencies and Water Minister and Deputy Premier on shoring up their confidence and ensuring that they stay invested in our community and I'm very very very happy today to say that you know, be able to report back to those Thomas Foods to Baiada and to Teys Cargill to say that our water security is now in the bag and thank you once again Mr. Prime Minister and Madam Premier and and I'd also like to acknowledge the really good work that water minister Melinda Pavey is currently doing and Madam premier I think you could be justifiably proud of the work that herself and Deputy Premier Barilaro have done and we've really enjoyed the close working relationship between a genuine partnership we feel from local government. And once again to have had the support of the federal government I know Barnaby's been working particularly hard on this project and every time I've annoyed him and in Canberra on this project he's gone along the corridors and annoyed everyone in the building and I thank you for that and also for Kevin Anderson. Kevin's worked very hard on this project and unfortunately, he's having a little bit of time off at the moment but I'd like to publicly thank Kevin and acknowledge the good work that he's done. 

PRIME MINISTER: Very good. 

JOURNALIST: The last dam that was built in New South Wales was built in Manila. So in this region, that was almost 30 years ago. This drought didn't happen last week. Overnight, it's been building for a number of years. Have your governments not done enough to I guess safeguard or secure water security for this drought. Because you're already planning for the next one? 

PRIME MINISTER: Michael can speak on behalf of the Commonwealth on that. 

THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:Well significantly we have actually invested in pipelines, in plumbing. I come from southern New South Wales and I know around Coleambally in Griffith and those sorts of areas we have significantly plumped with pipelines and with making sure we line channels and making sure that weirs are what they should be, upgrades as far as maintenance are concerned. Yes. You say we haven't built a major dam. Well, we're getting on with it now. But the fact is we have been spending a lot of money doing the sorts of things that organisations such as the New South Wales Farmers Association, New South Wales Irrigators Council and more importantly I suppose the NFF and the Murray-Darling Association and other organisations such as that have asked us to do as far as making sure that we have the right amount of irrigation water making sure that we've got the right water security this drought is one of, if not the worst on record. And yes we are now upping the ante as I said before to make sure that we build a water infrastructure we need and it hasn't come without criticism. I mean I'm sure there are going to be greenies and people who were who criticise even what we're doing now. However they should know that the food and fibre production doesn't happen by chance and we need to store water so that we can, in wet times, and it will rain again, it will rain and it will rain so heavily you know there will be some people who will probably cursed it, but what we're going to do is we're going to store it and then we're going to use it in the dry times. And I look at the Scottsdale project in northeast Tasmania. Now that came at a cost of around $57 million dollars. The local irrigators there back themselves to the tune of $12.03 million dollars. Now that dam has not been yet commissioned. It opens in January next year, yet there's already 5900 megalitres in that 9000 or so megalitre dam. So it's already more than half full just through runoff a bit of rain and you know that's what's going to happen here. We will get the water storage capacity that we need as a nation and as a state, we've already invested significantly with the state as a Commonwealth, on the water infrastructure the people asked us to do. We're now getting on with the job of building major dams and we'll have shovels in the ground, excavators on site in the next few months. So that's significant. I'm really really pleased that John Barilaro has already flagged the fact that we obviously yes we'll look at the environmental and cultural things that we need to. But as Susan Ley has also said Federally we're going to expedite those. We're going to make sure that we get the right, the necessary tick offs but we're not going to be held up, we're not going to be held up by doing this because the nation has demanded it, the people want it, they expected it, and most of all they deserve it. 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Can I just add one more sentence if that’s ok, to the DPM, thank goodness the New South Wales Government took the decisions it did three or four years ago because otherwise, we wouldn't have had the 60 extra bores. When I go into communities and the Deputy Premier goes into the communities and local mayors local leaders say to us thank goodness you've dug those bores because now we have that water in our town that is welcome relief. So if we hadn't taken those decisions three or four years ago we would have been in a catastrophic position today. I remember when we announced the Broken Hill pipeline I was the treasurer at the time and signed off on it, we've got pilloried for investing half a billion dollars - thank goodness we did because Broken Hill now has water, and saved the town. We've built 14 pipelines in the last two or three years alone, sunk 60 bores improved weirs, do we have more to do? Of course we do. But I'm so grateful that our government took that leadership three four years ago to embark on a massive upgrade of our water infrastructure and these dams now are the next phase in securing the water for the next generation. 

JOURNALIST: Will these projects announced today be fast-tracked under the changes…

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: They already have. Absolutely and with the combination of the fast-tracking from a planning perspective but also from a financial perspective. So we already had a profile for these dams but because of the federal government's support we're able to bring that forward obviously. 

PRIME MINISTER: This is what’s so important, the financial partnership with the state here is obviously as important and that has provided an impetus to bring this forward. But you've also got to have a state government that's willing to actually push through and congestion bust through the regulation that holds these projects up. The reason I know that the New South Wales Government wants to dig holes in the ground and build dams is because they're not only putting the money in, but they're doing the work on the process which can get it happening. And that's where I'm particularly pointing out the leadership that New South Wales is doing here. I want to work with Premiers that want to build dams not just say they are. And that's what New South Wales is doing. I've got a stack of dams I want to build in Queensland and we're getting very frustrated whether it's at Emu swamp or it's up at Rockwood Weir where we've had the money on the table for ages but here in New South Wales thank goodness we can move forward with that. And I would encourage others you know we've stumped up with the resources, we’ve stumped up with the support and we will in the other states. But they've got to be able to remove the blockages and be serious about building these dams. 

JOURNALIST: Sounds like NSW is the golden child at the moment? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well absolutely. Of course they are. I mean, Michael talked about Tasmania I mean Tasmania is not in drought but there we are working together with them during what is, Tasmania is doing very well and they're investing in their water infrastructure. The industry is, we are, the state government is and so these are things we're happy to get on and do but we can’t dig a hole anywhere in the country unless the State Government is prepared to do it. And so that's why we're pleased that the state government here in New South Wales and in Tasmania where we are getting some progress in other states what we need them to show that leadership and yes the Gold Star is there Glad, because…

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: I'm happy to take it.

PRIME MINISTER: Because you're doing it.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, obviously this project demonstrates a great working relationship with New South Wales are you comfortable with your working relationship with the other state and territory leaders? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well there are many different issues we work on with the states and territories and Gladys know that as a premier who sits around the COAG table. I mean we're making a lot of progress at the moment in Victoria. Aren’t we Michael? On our road infrastructure, transport infrastructure and I mean I thank Premier Andrews for the progress we've been able to make on that I've talked a lot about what we're doing in Victoria, we've got great projects happening in South Australia and in Western Australia, we're going to have our differences on things from between now and then. No doubt and they won't be necessarily partisan, certainly not in New South Wales in nature but states and the Commonwealth will often have to work through things. We are frustrated with the infrastructure in Queensland. We make no secret about that and we want to stop getting the run around on those things and we just want to get on with them. And you know we've got the money on the table we've have had for a long time. So that changing the rules and the changing of the perspective, conditions and the changing of how it's going to be you know there's always seems to be some excuse for it not to happen why it's being held back. We just want we get on with it. 

JOURNALIST: I guess this is a great long term project to protect people and future-proof the state, but you know people need short term, they need help now.

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah they do. 

JOURNALIST: This drought is terrible. So do you believe the farm household allowance should be extended beyond its 4 year limit? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well a couple of points last year, the year just finished $165 million dollars was spent on farm household allowance and we have made two big changes to the Farm Household Allowance. The first one was to take it from three to four years, and that was one of the first things we did, we did that a year ago and that significantly increased the eligibility to that payment. The second thing we did, we just did recently it was a couple of weeks ago, and we extended it out to be not just 4 years forever but 4 years out of every 10. And that was another significant commitment along with some others we made on that day, and they are both a recognition of the fact that people need help now. I mean just last year alone more than $300 million dollars went into additional supports into these communities, that's going to happen again this year, and it's going to happen again next year.  

JOURNALIST: But do you think it should be [inaudible]? 

PRIME MINISTER: The point I was going to make about the changes we’ve made to farm household allowance is the changes we’ve made were based on the very extensive consultations we undertook with the rural communities. With the agricultural producers. That's what we undertook to do. We made some initial changes and then we say we're going to conduct a comprehensive review and the review came back and said it should be 4 in 10. That's what the community told us and that's the action we took. Any other changes we will make in this area would also need to be done in close consultation with farming communities, with rural producers, with the National Farmers Federation. We've all got views on these things. And so we're not going to knee jerk respond to this. Our role out to the drought has been very careful, has been very considered and it's been very significant. Hundreds of millions of dollars extra going in to supports that people need right this very minute and so look we'll listen carefully to what people have to say about this. We'll consider what options there are to extend support to people who are in genuine need but the decisions we've already taken have given people greater time, greater space and more opportunity to think about what they do next. Which is what the Farm Household Allowance is really all about. It's providing that that temporary support when people are going through very difficult times, to think about where they go to next. And we'll keep doing that. And as I said, our response is not set and forget, it's not set for all time. We keep listening, we keep responding. 

JOURNALIST: I understand you’re visiting fire-affected communities later today. What message do you have for those people particularly around Tenterfield who’ve been slammed in recent weeks? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well the first thing is to put our arms out and our arms around people in a time of very deep distress, the loss of life is just devastating and heartbreaking, and the loss of property as well has been quite significant in these fires. And to console, and to support, the disaster response measures are kicking in and they're available and from tomorrow in particular-payments, additional payments, are going to be available and we'll work hand in glove with the State Government to ensure that that support is being delivered on the ground. One of the things I always find helpful when I visit these centres and particularly when we go visit those places and thank them for the work they’re doing and the volunteers, is just to get a sense from them about how things are playing out on the ground and what additional needs there might be. I mean we all get briefings come back to us but my ear is always very carefully turned to whoever sitting in that centre, or whoever has been working on coordinating those resources and responses and just making sure that that's going to plan and if there's anything we can do further to help there, we will. But we do have a very comprehensive disaster response capability and an operation that runs in these circumstances and the volunteers are at the heart of that. So to say thank you to consult, and to listen carefully to what further support or assistance might be required. 

THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW: Similarly, and exactly as the Prime Minister said. We know that once the shock wears off that's when communities need us the most and it's often it takes months and sometimes years to rebuild. And our job is to say to them we don't forget about you once the fires go out. We stick by you until you rebuild. And today is all about that. 

PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you all very much for your attention. Thank you. 

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42463

Billion-dollar investment in NSW dams

13 October 2019

Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Premier of New South Wales, Deputy Premier of New South Wales

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments will deliver a $1 billion water infrastructure package for rural and regional communities impacted by the devastating drought in NSW.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Deputy Premier John Barilaro said both Liberal and Nationals governments had been working together to fund critical water infrastructure projects, including new and expanded dam projects.

“Our response to the ongoing drought impacting rural and regional communities is comprehensive and committed. It deals with immediate needs for financial assistance in and longer term investments to build drought resilience for the future,” the Prime Minister said.

“And it’s not set and forget. We are continually adding to our drought response, saying loud and clear that we’re backing Australians who are battling the drought.

“Together we’ll deliver a $650 million upgrade of Wyangala Dam in the state’s Central West and a $480 million new Dungowan Dam near Tamworth.

“Our 50/50 investment with the state government in these priority large-scale water infrastructure projects will free up NSW funding to allow them to progress critical town water projects across NSW. We want to get these projects underway because this is about water supply and security.

“These projects don’t happen overnight but we’re working as quickly as possible to get all the necessary work done so we can start digging.

“We’re also investing an initial $24 million on a 50/50 basis with NSW for the 100,000-megalitre proposed Border Rivers project on the Mole River, near the Queensland border. This will ensure the project is shovel ready and help to identify the potential benefits that could flow on to irrigators and local communities in NSW and potentially Queensland.

“This funding brings our water infrastructure commitments to $1.5 billion across 21 projects that are committed or underway. This is part of more than $7 billion in drought support funding that we are already providing and have committed.”

Ms Berejiklian said the NSW Government has already committed close to $3 billion to drought relief and water security since 2017.

“In partnership with the Commonwealth, we will build the first new dam in NSW for more than 30 years. The last was Split Rock Dam on the Manilla River in 1987. That’s why today’s announcement is historic,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“The NSW Government is working in lockstep with the Commonwealth to make absolutely certain all obstacles are cleared and these dams get built.

“Our regional and rural communities are doing it incredibly tough and that’s why we’re making this massive additional investment in partnership with the Commonwealth Government.

“This builds on the NSW Government’s record $3 billion in drought support and water security announced since 2017, including funding for 60 bores across 23 communities and 14 pipelines, such as that from Wentworth to Broken Hill.

“Dams and other water infrastructure are an important part of the mix when it comes to increasing supply and reliability so that NSW’s water supply is more resilient to the terrible drought being experienced across the eastern states.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the funding would prioritise all necessary business case development and design works.

“We are already making significant investments in water infrastructure capital projects nationwide and today’s announcement signals a major acceleration of that commitment,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“No one should doubt our commitment to getting these sorts of projects done in partnership with all states and territories – our $1.3 billion National Water Infrastructure Development Fund and $2 billion National Water Infrastructure Loan Facility are in place to deliver the planning, assessment and construction work needed to build the water infrastructure of the 21st century.

“These projects will fit into our strategic plan for improving regional water security through water infrastructure led by the National Water Grid Authority.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional New South Wales John Barilaro said the NSW Government has been getting on with building critical water infrastructure projects but this was a significant turning point to future-proof the state.

“Only last week I was pleased to officially switch on the $12.85 million Malpas Dam to Guyra pipeline in the Northern Tablelands region, a project completed on time and under budget by the NSW Government,” the Deputy Premier said.

“This partnership with the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government will mean more projects, in faster time frames.

“Our priority is to get these major projects off the ground as quickly as possible, to combat ‘day zero’ and help regional and rural communities in NSW get through this devastating drought.”

Formalised agreements between the Federal and NSW Governments outlining the timeframes will be finalised shortly.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42462

Doorstop - Nadi, Fiji

12 October 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs

PRIME MINISTER: I’m pleased to be here at the Blackrock Camp which is training peacekeepers, people involved in ensuring we have civil law and order here across the Pacific. It’s a very important investment Australia is making here and it’s a very important partnership. And of course, I’m pleased to be joined by Foreign Minister Payne and the Minister for Women, as well as Alex Hawke the Minister for International Development and the Pacific. Before we talk about the events of today and this trip over the last 24 hours just let me talk quickly but importantly about the bushfires and the terrible impact they’ve been having on communities. I can confirm, as you probably know, that the NSW Rural Fire Service has confirmed that the number of homes destroyed in the fires is 45. 45 homes. Five community structures, including one hall with a further 87 out-buildings have also been destroyed and the NSW Rural Fire Service expects these numbers to rise as the damage assessments continue. On the 10th of October, the NSW Police also confirmed the deaths of two Australians, a 77 year old man and a 69 year old woman who perished in the Long Gully bushfire and our deepest sympathies go to their families. A post mortem examination, of course, will occur under the normal processes. I can also confirm that a range of disaster recovery assistance is now being provided under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements, and that includes help for people whose homes and belonging have been damaged, support for affected local councils to help with the cost of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets and concessional loans for small businesses, primary producers and not-for-profit organisations and freight subsidies for primary producers and grants to eligible non-profit organisations. I can also confirm that the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance has also been activated to provide additional support for people in the Richmond Valley LGA who have been affected by the bushfires, and claims for disaster recovery allowance can be made from 14 October, which is on Monday. The DRFA assistance is also still available for areas impacted by fires in August. That's in the LGAs of Armidale, Bellingen, Clarence Valley, Glen Innis Severn, Inverell, Tenterfield, Uralla and Walka. I also want to thank the others from other jurisdictions who have been providing their support. Approximately 78 interstate emergency services personnel from South Australia, Victoria, the ACT, Northern Territory, have all been assisting those in New South Wales. And the New South Wales large air tanker is supporting firefighting operations and there are 36 additional aircraft available for tasking, water bombing, mapping and line scan capabilities. These are terrible events. They're heartbreaking events. The loss of homes, the loss of life, even more significantly. Our response plan and capability that is done in partnership with the states and territories to get the assets where they need to be. Whether it was Canungra, where I was not that long ago, or indeed around Casino in the most recent time, those fires have now subsided somewhat, but nevertheless the risk is still very real. And the most important thing is to stand by those communities who are affected.

On the last 24 hours, it's been very positive to be back here in Fiji. I was here earlier in the year, I was here on this site when we turned the first sod here earlier in the year. It's great to see the progress that is being made here at Blackrock. It builds on the bilateral meeting I had with Prime Minister Bainimarama yesterday, where we ran through follow-up actions on the items that we were able to discuss in Canberra not that long ago. The Fiji-Australia relationship is in an extraordinary position, but it is so much more elevated by the constant and direct personal contact, whether it's by myself or whether by Foreign Minister Payne or Minister Hawke, engaging directly with our counterparts. And it's also greatly assisted by the many other programs that are part of the Pacific step-up, which include the sports diplomacy last night. Two good, solid wins. A fairly ordinary outing by the drafted water boy there in the third quarter. I think Axe’s job is completely safe, and the jobs of all other runners, whether it be in the NRL, the AFL, or for the Wallabies, they're all in safe keeping. But it was fun to be there and to mix with the players last night. They were just so excited, not just to have put on the green and gold for themselves as professional athletes, but they were more excited about being able to be part of what is an important part of Australia's engagement in the Pacific. They felt very special about that and I want to thank Mal and all those at the NRL, right across all the teams that we had, including the ADF teams that were also here and playing in competitions as well.

The Pacific Step-up is a comprehensive engagement with our region in so many ways. And so I'm going to ask Marise just to talk particularly about one of the most important messages that we have been involved in partnership with Fiji on, which is a domestic violence message, which is a message as important in Australia as it is in the Pacific. Thanks, Marise.

SENATOR THE HON. MARISE PAYNE, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN: Thanks very much, Prime Minister. I want to congratulate all of the participants in the events this week, from the NRL, and from our ADF teams, as the Prime Minister said. They travelled from Nadi to Suva, visiting schools along the way, and articulating that very important voice against violence message that is part of the NRL's program, which we have supported this week with an additional contribution from the Commonwealth. That will enable advocates here in Fiji to take those messages outside Suva into regional and village communities in a way that is not currently the case. It's immensely powerful to see the Australian Women's Prime Minister's XIII, the Australian Men's Prime Minister's XIII, run out with anti-violence messages on their jumpers. And we are very proud to partner with the NRL on the work they do, not only in Australia but importantly across this region. Our sports diplomacy program and our Pacific Oz Sports package focuses on rugby league, on rugby union, on football and on netball - all very powerful tools to engage, particularly with young people in the Pacific, on key messages around the way their lives are shaped, around education, around health, around nutrition, and the anti-violence message, as the Prime Minister has said.

I also took the opportunity yesterday, not just to meet with my friend and counterpart, Minister Inia Seruiratu, who is here with us morning, but also with the Minister for Women Minister Vuniwaqa last night as well to talk about the work that Australia has done in our national action plan. And we will be sharing information on that with her, particularly when she's in Australia, but also here in Fiji. So, we have been able to engage and inform and empower young people in Fiji through these visits this week, to talk directly in their communities about the effect that violence has on them. We know the effect that it has on women and children. It is a stultifying, dulling effect on families, on women's efforts to engage in pursuit of economic security and leadership, and in protecting themselves. So, it's very, very important. We also took the opportunity to provide some additional funding here, with Fiji as a priority country in terms of supporting women's teams across all of those sports to improve and develop their administration, their management. We see them competing at an international level. They do that on a) the smell of an oily rag, but b) also on quite narrow administrative focus. So, we will be able to help them with that, with training and with support, so that when they're running on to the field they are running on with full confidence in their preparation and full confidence that they are delivering for their country with the pride we saw displayed here in Fiji yesterday by both the Fiji RMFM women's teams and by the Bulikula as well. Thanks, Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Marise. Here we are at Blackrock. When you look at Blackrock, and particularly when we have the great privilege to go and address those who are going to serve as peacekeepers over in Iraq. I mean, this engagement here, particularly with Fiji but with so many nations around the Pacific, and particularly that security engagement that we're having here, it's all about keeping the whole region safe and stable and secure. At the end of the day, that's why we're here. This has been a very quick visit. It's a very 24-hour visit, not even that. But we want… that's what we have the opportunity to do as Australia, is to be in constant contact with our Pacific family. And where those opportunities present, then we'll take them. Of course, we have many pressing issues back at home, and I'm looking forward to getting back and addressing those again, as we always do. Starting out with the fires today. There are many pressing issues. But these are also important, and we will take the opportunity to address them when we can. And we certainly have today. So, happy to take questions. Why don't we start with issues around the visit first? I'm sure there are other things. And particularly if local Fijian media also would like to raise questions.

JOURNALIST: Just on your visit, Prime Minister, you talk about wanting to do more with the military partnership. What about the idea of actually recruiting Fijians into the ADF for three or four years at a time and relaxing citizenship requirements for them?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's not something that's in front of us at the moment.

JOURNALIST: Is that something that you’d be open to?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think our existing arrangements are serving the purposes. But that's the purpose of having ongoing dialogue, though. I mean, you constantly are reappraising what you are doing together. What we're doing here together is very significant, so there's quite a bit on at the moment. And these are things that will continue to keep under advisement. But that's the purpose of always being in contact with each other.

JOURNALIST: How much further is it possible to integrate the operations of the Australian and Fijian militaries? Is there a particular endpoint that you're trying to reach?

PRIME MINISTER: It's a sustainment, I think, of what is already a very high level of engagement. I mean, it's the equivalent of finishing each other's sentences. That's how closely engaged we are here in supporting Fiji in terms of their training for peacekeeping missions. As I said to the troops up there, 52 Fijians have given their lives in peacekeeping operations. There's a very moving memorial which Jenny and I visited when we were here earlier in the year down in Suva, and it's quite striking. When we go and look at the honour rolls in Australia, looking at those who served in the First World War, Second World War, Vietnam, Afghanistan, when you go to the honour boards, you're seeing the names of peacekeepers who have been killed in those. And, indeed, the President of Fiji has won a Military Cross in service as a peacekeeper. So, the peacekeeping role here in Fiji is one of great pride for their nation, and should be. And that's why we have been always so pleased to support them in that. And we'll continue to, as we have been doing most recently over the last several months to assist them in a number of areas here.

JOURNALIST: How much is the Australian Government putting into this project?

PRIME MINISTER: It's around about $25 million. It's going create about 550 jobs, as you heard in the briefing inside.

SENATOR THE HON. MARISE PAYNE, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN: It's also important to recognise its value for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. We live in one of the most challenging regions in the world and the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Winston here in Fiji not that long ago was a very stark reminder of the challenge that we face from those extreme weather events. And humanitarian assistance and disaster relief focus that this facility will have - and this is my third or fourth visit to Blackrock in two capacities - will be a very important one. When we brought HMAS Adelaide, if I recall correctly, here to Fiji at the time and worked closely with the RFMF in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support after Winston, that was a stark reminder for how well we can work together, to go to Melissa's question, and importantly how much more that we can do. And Blackrock is a perfect example of that.

JOURNALIST: Of course, China's military is also offering additional assistance to the Fijian military, where Australia is providing boats, so are the Chinese. Does that affect… does any introduction of Chinese involvement affect Australia's ability to increase its interoperability with Fiji?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, the first thing I would say is who Fiji works with is a matter for Fiji. They're a sovereign country and they make their own decisions, as they should, as all Pacific nations do. A key part of the Pacific Step-up, a key principle, a value of the Pacific Step-up is recognising the independence and sovereignty of each and every Pacific Island nation. And we do. We deeply respect that and we want them to be able to preserve that independence and sovereignty. And we encourage them always in that way and provide whatever support they need in making any decision that is they make. But I've made no secret of the fact that we welcome the involvement of other parties and partners in the Pacific, which is about reinforcing that principle. That's the principle we all get around - the independence and sovereignty and the stability of this region. Anyone who's contributing to those goals is warmly welcomed.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you agree with Minister Dutton that the Chinese Government policies are inconsistent with Australian values?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that's not what Peter said. What Peter was talking about was the fact that there are differences between Australia and the People's Republic of China. Of course there are. We're a liberal Western democracy, based on Western liberal democratic values. China is a Communist Party state, and that's their country. And we recognise the sovereignty of their values and their systems, and that that is what is promoted and celebrated in China. And in Australia, we celebrate the values of liberal Western democracy. And whether it's in our universities or in ensuring that we're able to do that with primacy in our own country, I don't think there's anything terribly surprising about that. So, I would warn against any sort of over-analysis or overreaction to those comments. Because I think they just simply reflect the fact that we're two different countries. But more importantly, through our comprehensive strategic partnership, there is much we share in common. That's what we've always focused on. That's why I think our relationship with China will always remain positive because it's focused on the things that we agree on and that benefit each country, not on the areas that I think there are clear differences. Of course, there are clear differences. I mean, they're different countries with different systems. And there are many countries in our region which have different systems. So, in Australia, of course, we'll promote the values that have built our country and our country is established on, and China will do what they do in their country. And we respect that too.

JOURNALIST: There is another thing, though, that Peter Dutton said that I would like to check with you. He's saying we should be calling out China when they're the ones that are clearly responsible for doing the wrong thing, particularly in reference to cyberattacks. Now, that's something we've seen some increasingly high-profile cases in Australia. Is it the right strategy to call out and name China if we're confident they’re behind cyberattacks?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we did in December. And I'm sure that's what Peter is referring to. In December of last year, we were part of a multilateral assignment and that was a statement we made at the time. And that wasn't… we certainly didn't do it in isolation. I don't think there was anything remarkable about that. But we certainly have not undertaken any public attributions since then.

JOURNALIST: Does it make it hard to keep the relationship positive when the Chinese Embassy called Minister Dutton's comments irrational, shocking, baseless and a malicious slur?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, I tend not to overreact to statements. I think I'll just look at the context in which the Minister made his comments. And I think he was, you know, I think I have been pretty clear. I think about the points that I believe he was making and I think that speaks for itself. So, I think the best way that we've always managed our relationship is moving through these events and just focusing on the things that are actually important to both countries and that is our comprehensive strategic partnership. You know, Australia has always been very consistent in our approach, and we are. We're just quite consistent and I will always seek to be respectful of pursuing that.

JOURNALIST: Do you have any update for us on progress between the US and China, on their trade issues?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, you've seen the report, I'm sure, and the press conference from the President today. And we welcome what has been somewhat of a breakthrough. And as you know, I have been encouraging both the United States and China to, you know, get on and get this done. And I was pleased to send a message to Secretary Mnuchin this morning which he responded back to favourably.  I particularly think he's done a wonderful job.

JOURNALIST: What did you say to him?

PRIME MINISTER: I said, "Congratulations.” I'm very pleased that he's been able to get this done. Because I see Steven quite regularly at various events that we're at. We were at the White House recently. I've always said - and sometimes people have been critical of me for this - but I've always been optimistic about this, because I've always known that what has been tried to be achieved here, what people are trying to achieve here, is to secure a deal. To secure a new agreement that recognises the modern economy and modern nature of the trading relationship that should be in existence. So, you heard today some pretty important things that I have also been talking about being included in this arrangement when it comes to particularly technology and IP and things of this nature. This is a good thing. And I think there has been a lot of negative talk about this. But, you know, Australians always remain optimistic and certainly I do. And everything that I have had relayed to me in my discussions, particularly with the United States, has been a willingness and a keenness to resolve these issues. And I commend both China and the United States on where they've got to. We'll obviously look at the detail. But it is phase one. I understand they'll look to be concluding that when we meet in APEC later in the year, and that will be great to have this happen on the sidelines. But let's not put too much pressure on it. Let's see them reduce it to writing and get on with it. But it's a very welcome development.

JOURNALIST: Is it clear for what it will mean for Australia at this stage, this limited deal?

PRIME MINISTER: At this stage, based on the information we have, it's difficult to make those broad assessments. But we'll take a good look at that. But I think what this sees is a bit of a breakthrough and let's just hope that that is consolidated and then once phase one is put in place, well, I wish them well for phase two.

JOURNALIST: What do you think of the idea of expanding the so-called big-stick powers to other sectors, like banks and supermarkets? It's not just something Wayne Swan has mentioned today, key crossbenchers are also calling for this.

PRIME MINISTER: Look, I've never had a habit of taking economic advice from Wayne Swan. I apply the George Costanza principle to the economic advice of Wayne Swan. If Wayne is saying you should do it, there's a pretty good argument you should do the opposite. You only have to look at the budgets when he was running them, and compare them to our budgets today. It's taken six years to get the budget back into surplus. As I'm sure Wayne's advice is well-intentioned, I'm not inclined to follow his economic advice.

JOURNALIST: So you wouldn’t be looking to put these divestiture powers into…

PRIME MINISTER: The legislation is dealing with what we believe are the necessary powers that are there to restore some balance in the energy market.

JOURNALIST: We have seen some pretty rapid changes and developments in the Middle East, thanks to the actions of the US and Turkey. How is Australia viewing this situation?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, Marise Payne and I this morning had the opportunity to have a hook-up with Secretary Mike Pompeo. I have been exchanging messages with Secretary Pompeo the other day, and of course Minister Payne has been in contact with the Turkish ambassador. It was good to have a further briefing from the US on those events. Let's be very clear - what we are dealing with here is the unilateral - unilateral - action of Turkey. They are the ones walking across borders for no other reason than that is what they seek to do for their own purposes, and Australia has condemned that. That is not something that we support and it has certainly been spoken against by many of our like-minded partners around the world. And so this is a very concerning - very concerning - act by Turkey. And it is certainly one that has no endorsement elsewhere, I think, from our partners. And so what we will do is continue to liaise closely with all of those who have been involved for a very long time in the coordinated action against Da’esh and to work with those like-minded partners. Our resolve against Da’esh has not altered and I do not believe it has altered among any of our like-minded partners when it comes to addressing this issue, including the US. So we will continue to engage with all of them on this issue, monitor it carefully, urge restraint, particularly in Turkey's case. But at the same time, let's not indulge in any of these other narratives. I don't think they hold water at all.

JOURNALIST: By other narratives, do you mean suggestion is that if the US had stayed in Syria it could have provided ongoing protection?

PRIME MINISTER: This is the unilateral action of Turkey. We want to deal with this. That is what we have to focus on.

JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to the Turkish administration again?

SENATOR THE HON. MARISE PAYNE, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN: Well, DFAT and officials have been in consultation, both in Canberra and Ankara, and we have continued to raise our concerns. The Prime Minister has very clearly outlined what they are. This is going to contribute significantly to instability and to danger, quite frankly, in the region. And the flow-on effects from that are very, very concerning.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just finally, there has been desecration of Commonwealth war graves in Israel, obviously very concerning, this is happening. What can Australia do here?

PRIME MINISTER: Well we act in concert with the War Graves Commission. But this is disgusting, it is appalling and it is nothing other than just hate-filled desecration of our own diggers, our light horsemen. And it is terribly upsetting. Not just obviously for the families, and the descendants of those brave Australians, but, you know, we are seeing too much of this. I mean, we shouldn’t see any of it. But, you know, if we kid ourselves that we are only seeing this over in war graves in another part of the world, well, have a look at some of the graffiti you see around Melbourne or Sydney these days. What we are seeing with that anti-Semitic commentary and aggression and graffiti and being directed towards the Jewish community, I just find absolutely appalling, absolutely appalling. What should we do? We have to make sure that we act in concert with those who are responsible for our war graves and to support them in the actions they are taking. But it should be a reminder that in our own country, we can have zero tolerance of this sort of anti-Semitic conduct which is happening in Australia. People have been targeted, including our colleagues, as members of Parliament, have been targeted with anti-Semitic trolling on their Twitter accounts, defacing of their images. We are seeing in our own country, so let's not kid ourselves. It is close to home, and it has got to be stamped out. Thanks very much.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42461

Stepping up trade and cultural ties in the Pacific

11 October 2019

Prime Minister

Recognising the strong cultural and economic significance that kava has for Pacific communities, including those living in Australia, the Australian Government is stepping up its commitment to the Pacific by launching a kava pilot program. 

During my visit to Vanuatu in January, I agreed to examine if and how Australia might ease some of the limitations on importation of kava into Australia. I also discussed this issue in Fiji earlier this year.

Today I was pleased to inform Prime Minister Bainimarama that as part of a pilot program, Australia will double the amount of kava that can be imported for personal use from two kilograms to four kilograms by the end of 2019.

Australia will also commence a pilot program for the commercial importation of kava by the end of 2020.

Australian officials have also advised Vanuatu and other Pacific partners of this discussion today.

This is a win for both Australia and our Pacific family.

In addition to greater access to kava in Australia, particularly for ceremonial and cultural purposes, the Pacific can soon expect new export opportunities to further maximise the growth potential of their own natural resources.

The Australian Government is committed to implementing a pilot that is respectful of states and territories’ regulatory role regarding domestic supply and use of kava and will work closely with state and territory governments on a pilot design that maximises the benefits for our Pacific family while securing strong social, cultural and health outcomes across Australia.

This will include consultation on robust monitoring and evaluation arrangements to be put in place.

The Australian Government is also committed to seeking input from communities, including Australia’s Pacific Islander communities, and businesses wishing to participate in the pilot.

The pilot program will be evaluated at its conclusion at the end of 2022.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42460

Doorstop - Randwick, NSW

10 October 2019

National Careers Ambassador; infrastructure programmes; Syria and Turkey; NSW and QLD bushfires; Drought; Dams and water infrastructure.

Prime Minister

RICHARD YARAD, LENDLEASE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER: Good morning everyone. My name is Richard Yarad and I’m the construction manager for Lendlease. Welcome to Randwick campus redevelopment where we're building a new acute services building. We’re committed here at Lendlease to promote apprenticeships through our company and today is an important announcement being prepared that encourages apprentices training through Lendlease and I'd like to welcome the Prime Minister to our site. Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much. It's great to be here on yet another building site here in New South Wales. There are just so many of these sites, so many cranes on the Sydney skyline, so many projects that are going ahead and it's tremendous to see and we want to see more of those projects because those projects mean jobs and we're investing just shy of $10 billion this year alone in transport infrastructure projects right around the country, including right here in New South Wales. And those projects, many of which have been accelerated, are projects that are providing new opportunities for people young and later in their careers to get involved in the building and construction industry. And a key part of that is ensuring that companies, whether it's like Lendlease or your smaller builder or others in the industry, are getting access to the people with the skills they need so they can meet this significant demand. This significant demand for all of these civil and other commercial building projects and residential projects that are happening right across the country. And that means it's a call to young Australians and people across their career to get involved in the building and construction industry and to be part of our initiative to get more apprentices and more people trained with the skills that they need to be able to participate in this very successful industry. That's why since before the last election we have been engaged in a process to really rejuvenate skills training in this country. It's one of the biggest pieces of the economic plan that we need to pursue particularly during this term in Parliament. It goes together with lowering taxes, reducing business costs through deregulation, expanding our trade, building the infrastructure we need to enable our economy to grow. The centrepiece of all of that is ensuring that our economy has the skills and the people that are needed to ensure that our economy can grow. And for that, we need to get across an important message and that is the opportunities there are in becoming an apprentice. The National Careers Institute was set up on the 1st of July of this year as part of a series of recommendations we’ve responded to from the Joyce Review that was looking at these skills issues in Australia. We’ve got a very clear message, we want people to understand that choosing an apprenticeship, choosing a skill, choosing a trade, is a very successful decision for them and for their future and there's no difference between whether you get a technical or skills education or you get a university education. They are both involved in giving people high-level skills that our economy needs and can set people up for the future. And one of the great things about a trade and skills education, and I know this being a representative of southern Sydney where there are so many who've made that choice and been so successful in life starting their own businesses, that a trade education can lead you to be able to be your own boss and to set up your own company, to run your own show, to be in control of your own economic future. Not just that but by providing those same opportunities to others, taking on your own apprentices and passing on that knowledge. And as we've talked to some of the apprentices here, be able to drive down whether it's here locally or somewhere else and say, ‘You know what? I built that, I was part of the team that built that.’ Whether it was the shopping centre redevelopment or a big major commercial building or a hospital or a block of flats or whatever it happens to be. So there's a lot of pride involved in working in this industry. And who better to actually get that message across and help us get those 80,000 apprentices that we've committed to being established here in Australia than Scott Cam? Scott is someone who made that decision or as he told us today the decision was made for him by his dad to work with his brother. But I tell you what, there's been no looking back for him and he has demonstrated over the course of his professional life about what you can achieve and he's been a true champion for trades education and the opportunities that are there for people who are going to work hard and get that skill and work in, whether it's a company like Lendlease who do a tremendous job in bringing trades people through the industry, pulling them through the industry, many stay going into senior positions, others go off to run their own businesses. And so we're very pleased that Scott is taking on this role of our skills ambassador as part of the National Careers Institute to help us get that message across to change that mindset, for people to look at a career in trades as something that is very viable for them. It's great to see so many people doing it but we need more Australians to do it. So I'm really thrilled that Scott is taking on that role and I want to thank you very much for doing it, mate, and you've got a great profile right across the Australian community. Much loved, of course, but importantly much trusted, and I think that trusted message from Scott and the way of his own life experience being able to back up that message is hopefully going to encourage not just younger Australians but people through all walks of life. Our economy is changing and people are making decisions mid-career about moving into different skills areas. We know also in the rural sector, particularly which is going under tough circumstance at the moment, there are those who've been working on the land and particularly farmers themselves who've been looking to reskill as well and I announced some measures to support that just a week or so ago. So I'm happy to announce that Scott's taking on that role with us. We're very pleased that he has done so. I'm going to ask Michaelia Cash, the Minister, to explain a bit more about those details, then Scott will have a bit more to say about his role and then Steve will come and speak as the Assistant Minister, also a tradie, also someone who ran his own business as a sparky and then we're happy to take questions. Thanks very much.

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: Well thank you Prime Minister, and ladies and gentlemen it's fantastic to be here today hosted by Lendlease on their Randwick site. But in particular with the Prime Minister, with my friend and colleague Steve Irons, a former apprentice himself, but to make this sensational announcement the appointment of Australia's inaugural National Careers Ambassador in that household name Scott Cam. This is a Government that is determined to shine a light on how fantastic vocational education and training is in Australia and as part of that we've enlisted Scott to work with us to really get that message out. And it's not just to students, as the Prime Minister said. It’s to parents, it’s for people thinking of upskilling or reskilling, those great career opportunities offered by vocational education and training in Australia. Scott Cam himself, a former apprentice around 40 years ago now, but look at what his apprenticeship has offered to him. He's literally a household name in Australia. He's someone who has run his own business. He has employed people, he's employed apprentices, but more than that Scott understands the value of getting career advice right. And that is what the Joyce Review in vocational education and training has told us. There is a plethora of information out there in Australia. What we need to do is bring that together so that students, parents, anybody who is thinking of upskilling or reskilling, understands the choices that are available to them. And they understand the career pathways that they are going to be about to embark upon. So it's fantastic that Scott Cam has undertaken this role. I'm looking forward to working really closely with him. We're going to be working across government, across industry, with parents, with students, to get those career pathways right. But on top of that, over the next 15 months I really look forward to being out and about there with Scott attending high-profile events and really shining that light on exactly how fantastic a vocational education is and the career opportunities, the really successful career opportunities, that a VET education offers you in Australia.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Michaelia, Scott?

SCOTT CAM: Thanks very much Minister Cash, Prime Minister. I'm very privileged to be in this role, to be asked to be in this role. I'm passionate about apprenticeships and trade life and trade work. I - as the Prime Minister said - my career advice when I was 17 years old was my father saying, ‘You start work with your brother on Monday.’ And that's how I got my apprenticeship. My brother was a carpenter. These days there's so many opportunities out there, so much information out there for young people, older people, people that are changing careers. Where do they get that information from? I think it's all over the place, and now the National Careers Institute is a one stop shop for information about training, about education, about career changes, about careers. My job, my role is to get the information out there to people to let them know that it's there. To let them know that it's available for young people. I have three children, all at university. My youngest son is doing a course only because he doesn't know what he wants to do, like so many people that are doing that. You know, kids come out of school, they're not sure what they want to do. So my young bloke, who is pretty smart, he’s just taken on a business course because he's not sure what he wants to do. With the National Careers Institute he’ll be able to go to that one stop shop, look over everything, his opportunities, his career opportunities, his training opportunities, and maybe get a better idea of where he wants to go in his life. I'm again very privileged to have this role, I'm not taking it lightly, I'm going to get it out there, I want to get the information out to everybody, all Australians, young and old, and from every background so they can get more opportunities within their careers. Thank you very much for having me on board everybody, thanks again.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Scott, thank you mate.

THE HON. STEVE IRONS MP, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND APPRENTICESHIPS: Well, it's great to be here for the announcement of Scott Cam as our ambassador for the National Careers Institute. As a former tradesman myself, it's great that even though he’s a chippy - and I was a sparky - I'll be pleased to look forward to working with him during the process of implementing the Joyce Review recommendations that the Morrison Government has undertaken to do. It's great that the Prime Minister is so on board with these recommendations as well as the excitement I get from Minister Cash whenever she speaks about the pathways and careers for young people and having Scott on board to assist us in that process will be absolutely fantastic. Scott, you would know being a tradie, being on building sites, you always get nicknames. So now we've got ScoMo and we’ve got ScoCam working on this project for implementing the Joyce Review and I think that will be a great endorsement having Scott out there and about, talking to people about their career pathways, particularly for parents as well. The parents need to have that discussion with their children and guide them - as your father did, a very short one - but we can start these discussions a lot earlier, particularly in schools and areas as well. So I'm excited by this announcement and I look forward to working with you Scott, so thanks so much.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, well we’re happy to take some questions on this. I then want to make a few statements about some other quite serious issues as well. We can turn to those issues after that, so happy to take questions on the matter of our announcement today on skills.

JOURNALIST: I have a question for Minister Cash if that’s OK? Yeah, in Scott Cam’s ambassador role will he be paid for that?

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: The answer is yes. We’ve entered into commercial terms with Mr Cam. But ultimately this is about shining a light on vocational education and training in Australia, really highlighting just how successful you can be in particular if you take on an apprenticeship. Scott Cam – a household name. The feedback that I have had even just this morning in relation to this announcement has been really sensational. This is what people have been looking for, someone that they can look to see who's been there, who's done that, who's been successful, that can really show Australians what a vocational education can provide you with. So we're just absolutely delighted that Scott himself has agreed to come on board and be the inaugural National Careers Ambassador in Australia and as he said, he is committed to getting that information out there. So that parents, so that kids, so that people, you know, wanting to upskill and reskill really understand the pathways that they can undertake but more than that, just how successful they can be in undertaking a vocational education in Australia.

JOURNALIST: How much will this role cost the government?

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: Well, like any role, it’s commercial in confidence. But again, it’s about outcomes. One of the highest profile people in Australia taking on board this role, someone who 40 years ago himself understood the value of an apprenticeship, someone that… it doesn't matter how old you are, or who you are, you can look up to and say, ‘Wow, this guy undertook an apprenticeship and look where he is today.’ He's an employer. He's employed other people, he's employed apprentices. This is all about shining that light on vocational education and we’re just delighted that Scott Cam has come on board.

JOURNALIST: Do you think a student should leave school in Year 10 and pursue a trade and if so, why?

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: Yeah no, it's a really good question. I think what Scott's role in particular with the National Careers Institute is all about is people understanding the choices available to them. So many parents across Australia, and in particular young kids as well, say to me, ‘Michaelia, I’m really only aware of one pathway. It’s the pathway of leaving school and going to university. Where are the other pathways?’ There are so many different pathways that you can undertake and just being here today on the Lendlease site we've met a number of apprentices, each one undertaking a different pathway. A school-based apprenticeship, leaving school and going straight into an apprenticeship, and then a mature-aged gentleman who has actually already got a trade but he's now upskilling and doing another trade. So it's making sure Australians understand there are so many different pathways for you and we’re going to get all of that information together so you can [inaudible] and understand exactly what you can do, but more than that, how successful you can be.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you mentioned there’s a lot of infrastructure programmes on the fast track, is the problem that the Government’s created a lot of projects that don’t have the skills and the amount of workers needed to get them done?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we do need more people in the industry with the right skills to ensure that we can meet the challenges that we have, not just in the building and construction industry, [inaudible] than that. Our economy is growing, we want to see it continue to grow, and for that to happen we do need to build this infrastructure. And it’s important transport infrastructure, whether it’s the Western Sydney International Airport, or Snowy redevelopment of the hydro project in NSW, or it’s those big projects like the inland rail. These are massive projects. I mean, there’s massive road construction projects that are going on, rail projects. That means we need more people, we need them trained, we need them skilled, we need them entering the industry. And so yeah, it is, I suppose, a good problem to have that we’re building so much that we need more people to help us build it. The problem is not that we're not committing to building enough, the problem is we've got to ensure that we can get people into the industry to ensure that we can make those commitments, and not just for today but for the next decade and more. This is why we outlined, going back several years now, when it was a $75 billion plan, that was over 10 years. This is a $100 billion plan now over 10 years and you add that to the $200 billion we're putting into re-capitalizing our defence industries, all of this shows long term commitments that business and industry can now engage with, knowing that the work is there, that they can take on apprentices, they can train people, they can make the investments in expanding the capability of the building and construction sector. And so this is a key part of helping to do that.

JOURNALIST: And if you don't get the local jobs filled, will you have to look at increasing skilled migrants coming in?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, the migration program, the permanent migration program, is capped at 160,000. That hasn’t changed, that’s what we’ve committed to doing this parliamentary term and we took it to the election and we’re certainly going to honour that. This is why it's important that we get Australians into these jobs and we train Australians to get into these jobs. The migration program will continue to play its role in supporting the Australian economy. The great thing about Australia's immigration program, and the reason it's been such a success, is because it's always been focussed on the skills needs of Australia. And that's not just recent, that's been going on for decades, and that's why we have one of the most cohesive and most successful multicultural societies in the world today. It's because we have an immigration program that is focused on skills. But our first priority is to ensure we're training Australians to have the jobs that are there, both today and into the future, and this is an important part of doing that.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on building infrastructure, can we expect there to be some new dams up around the Tenterfield area? 

PRIME MINISTER: We've been working very closely with the New South Wales Government, as we have the Queensland government and other state governments. Because as you rightly point out, it is state governments that decide when and where dams are built. The Commonwealth Government can’t dig a hole anywhere for building a dam unless the state government is on board. And we've been working closely with the New South Wales Government, the Premier and I have been in very close contact on this issue for some time now and we look forward to making some announcements. 

JOURNALIST: Would you want to see dams built in New South Wales in particular?

PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. I want to see more dams built in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, right across the country. We need to do that in co-operation with state and territory governments. That's their job, just as it is their job to build hospitals and to build schools and we support them in those tasks with record levels of funding going into both. We’re standing in the middle of one of the big redevelopments of one of Sydney’s biggest hospitals. This is happening also with the support of the Commonwealth government in partnership with the state government, which is not only creating a great opportunity for Lendlease here to bring other people through and develop their skills but also to provide world-class health services to children and others right throughout this part of Sydney.

JOURNALIST: In Northern New South Wales we’ve just seen the area ravaged by bushfire, what is your response to news…

PRIME MINISTER: I’m going to come to that issue in just one second, I'm happy to do that. Are there any other questions on skills or the announcement we’re making today?

JOURNALIST: Just one more, construction is one of a lot of vocational education training. It seems like construction is your focus at the moment because there is that skill shortage. Is it right for the Government to be persuading school leavers, young people or even middle-aged people seeking more jobs into one private sector over others?

PRIME MINISTER: What's important is that young people make good decisions for their future and it’s their decision. See, my Government is all about enabling the aspirations and choices of individual Australians and their families and what they want for them and their future. And so we want them to have the choice, we want them to have the information, we want them to have the opportunity and should they choose to go down this path, good for them. Fantastic news. It's good for the Australian economy. If they want to make other choices, that's up to them. We support the choices they want to make and opening up the pathways so they can make those choices. That's what we're very committed to and it's great to have Scott on board in helping young people think about this as a career pathway and to ask themselves the questions about what they want for the future. I mean, one of my regrets when I was coming through school and leaving school is that back in that time - it was a long time ago now - there was never much conversation or talk with your careers advisor about, ‘Hey, have you ever thought about starting your own business?’ And what we need in this country is a lot more of that entrepreneurialism and I think we are seeing it more recently, young people actually a lot more entrepreneurial in their outlook. They like working for themselves, they like running their own show. I think that's one of the key characteristics of millennials these days. And that's a good thing. It shows a confidence and it shows an independence. One of the great things I think about trades education and skills education, as Scott has demonstrated and I can tell you countless others down in the Shire, has been doing that opens up the pathway to run your own business and employ other Australians. And I've never seen a bigger smile on the face of an Australian than when they’ve employed another Australian, particularly a young Australian, and are training them to give them the skills so they can have the opportunities they have. That's a great legacy to leave - not just building something wonderful but that satisfaction, and I know you’d know, when you get a young person on. Through your efforts, you've been able to give them a job and give them the same opportunities in life. It's a real buzz for business and so it's tremendous. So on that, I'm going to thank Scott for being here with us today. I’m going to thank our friends from Lendlease for being with us today and I’m going to make a few comments about a few other issues, so thanks very much guys. Appreciate your time.

Look, on a couple of other very serious issues today, the events in Syria are very concerning. The Australian Government has been in close contact both with the Turkish Government and with the US Government, as recently with the US as this morning. I've been in direct contact on these matters, as the Foreign Minister has also been following up these issues. We are concerned about what we're seeing of the actions of the Turkish Government moving into Syria and what that can mean for the safety of people in that area. We are also very concerned about what this could potentially mean for the Kurdish people. We're concerned about what this can mean for the potential for the resurgence of Da’esh and we will be working through all diplomatic channels, working with our colleagues whether in Europe or the United States or elsewhere where we have been in partnership in the Middle East for some time to closely monitor these developments and get some clear understanding of the situation on the ground, and consider what possible international responses there are to these issues and so we are in close contact. We are deeply concerned about the actions of the Turkish Government and we have conveyed those concerns and will continue to convey those concerns directly and we will continue to work closely with the United States and others in terms of what any potential response is to that quite serious situation on the ground.

On the matter of bushfires, it is also very troubling. Yesterday I made some remarks on this and while the fires themselves have been abating and the risk level decreasing, I have received the same reports that you would have received about the number of unaccounted people there are, particularly in relation to the fire in the Casino area. Obviously the NSW state government and those affected [inaudible] on those issues and we’ll stay in close contact with them on what assistance is necessary. 

And on the third issue I wanted to mention is, of course, our response to the drought. The Minister for Drought David Littleproud has I think put a very clear and concise report through The Daily Telegraph today, setting out again what our response is to the drought. We do not set and forget when it comes to the drought. We have announced over $7 billion worth of initiatives and we will continue to announce them. The drought is the first call on our Budget. The reason you get the Budget into surplus, which we've been doing now for the last six years, is to ensure that you can respond to these urgent issues in responding to the drought and be able to do it not just now but into the future. This drought has been going for several years now in New South Wales, for longer in Queensland. It has now moved in quite substantively into Victoria and into South Australia. We're providing direct financial assistance and have increased the financial assistance both to farm households themselves and to farming communities through our Drought Communities Program. We're investing both in on-farm water infrastructure as well as off-farm water infrastructure with broader water infrastructure projects. There are some 20 projects currently worth just shy of $2 billion that are either underway or soon to commence and as I said, we'll be making further announcements about those issues as a result of the engagements we've had with the New South Wales government in the not too distant future. So it's about dealing with the immediate assistance, the financial assistance that is necessary to help sustain both farmers on the land and people living in drought-affected communities across rural and regional New South Wales. But it's also about building the resilience of the future. The Drought Fund is a key part of that. But our broader National Water Grid and the money we’re putting into it with the state governments, the water infrastructure is sizeable. It's real. They're real projects, they’re proceeding and that is an important way of planning for the future. One thing we can't do is make it rain. There’s nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is invest in the mental health and the care in our communities, their financial support to sustain themselves. The real change’s alone we’ve made to the Farm Household Allowance which means that you can get four years now out of ten. Before this drought and before our response it was three years forever. It's now four years out of ten and we've relaxed the rules, and increased the amount that people can earn off the farm, up to $100,000 you can earn off the farm and still be eligible for the support of financial assistance through the Farm Household Allowance. So these are important changes. It's not set and forget. We’ll continue to make responses for as long as the drought continues and then we'll be there to help rebuild.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on Syria, is this action by Turkey undermining the progress against ISIS in that region? 

PRIME MINISTER: I think that is exactly our concern that it will have that effect and that is a concern that has been expressed by Australia and by many others and that is what we've expressed directly to our partners and allies and certainly to the Turkish Government. 

JOURNALIST: What do you make of the U.S. decision to pull its troops out given the immediate repercussions? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, the decision of the United States is a matter for them. It’s a sovereign decision of the United States. It's not for me to run a commentary on it. They’re their troops, they are deployed by the U.S. Government, not by Australia or anyone else, and the U.S. has been doing the lion's share of the lifting when it has come to the efforts in the Middle East. And as I said yesterday it's just a simple statement of fact, not a statement of commentary, that this decision is consistent with statements that the President has been making for some time. That is just a statement of reality. So they have made that decision and now it's important that we work together to ensure that our fears of the actions of the Turkish Government - let's be clear, it's the Turkish Government that is taking action here to create an unstable situation. They're the ones who are actually deploying and seeking to walk across a border and to take actions in another nation-state. It is the Turkish Government that is doing that and it's the actions of the Turkish Government that concern Australia very seriously. 

JOURNALIST: If this is a matter for the United States and the actions of Turkey, what was the basis of your conversation with delegates from the US this morning that you mentioned?

PRIME MINISTER: We’re just seeking clarity on a number of points, as you do with allies, and an understanding of what the next steps could be. And that's I think entirely appropriate.

JOURNALIST: What do you think of comments though made by Donald Trump that the Kurds didn't help fight with the U.S. in the Second World War and in Normandy and therefore this justifies the US's decision to pull out of Syria? 

PRIME MINISTER: I'm not making a running commentary on everything the President says and does. What I do know is that when Australia makes decisions about our deployments, we do so in our national interest. And my concern and my focus is on what Australia's purposes are and the safety of our men and women who serve in our Defence Forces. And I would expect any of our partners or allies to respect any decision that I made or my Government made in relation to our deployments. And I'm simply showing that same respect. 

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can you clarify where there are [inaudible] to infant children... 

PRIME MINISTER: Sorry, I couldn't hear you. 

JOURNALIST: Can you clarify whether [inaudible] infant babies will be stateless after her citizenship was cancelled?

PRIME MINISTER: My advice is that the citizenship of children of those for whom their citizenship is cancelled of their parents is unaffected. So any reporting that suggests otherwise, based on my advice, is false. Thanks very much.

Visit to Fiji

10 October 2019

Prime Minister

I will travel to Fiji from 11 to 12 October 2019 to hold discussions with Prime Minister Bainimarama to advance the Pacific Step-up and progress the Vuvale Partnership between our two countries.

This will include bilateral discussions and sports diplomacy elements including attending the Prime Minister’s XIII Rugby League matches.

I will be accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, and the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Alex Hawke MP.

Australia enjoys a close friendship with Fiji. Last month, I hosted Prime Minister Bainimarama in Australia where we signed the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, a comprehensive agreement that elevates our bilateral relationship and further strengthens the bonds between our countries.

In particular, Australia and Fiji share a strong passion for sport. The Prime Minister’s XIII matches are an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate the sporting, cultural and people to people linkages between our countries.

Australia is committed to stepping up our engagement with Fiji, as a key regional leader, and the Pacific more broadly to address the opportunities and challenges that face our region.

I look forward to meeting Prime Minister Bainimarama again and building on our friendship and the warm relationship between our two countries.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42458

Joint Media Release - Statement on northeastern Syria

10 October 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women

The Australian Government is deeply troubled by Turkey’s unilateral military operation into northeastern Syria.

Actions of this nature will have grave consequences for regional security and could significantly undermine the gains made by the international coalition in its fight against Da’esh, which remains a serious threat to regional peace and security despite its territorial defeat.

It will cause additional civilian suffering, lead to greater population displacement, and further inhibit humanitarian access.

While Turkey has legitimate domestic security concerns, unilateral cross-border military action will not solve these concerns.

We have expressed this view directly to the Turkish Government.

The Government remains in close contact with our US, European, Middle East and other allies and security partners, including through our Embassies and other officials.

We urge restraint and call on all parties to the conflict in Syria to avoid escalatory or opportunistic actions that cause further instability and humanitarian suffering.

The Australian Government notes that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been steadfast partners for the international Coalition in the fight against Da’esh, and have borne a significant share of the sacrifice.

They have also helped the international community by providing security support at Internally Displaced Persons camps.

The full implications of the Turkish military operation on these camps and the people residing in them are difficult to assess at this early stage and will depend, in part, on subsequent actions taken by Turkey and the Kurds.

The Government remains concerned for the Australians in these camps but, as we have previously stated, the situation is dangerous and unpredictable, and we will not put Australian officials and the public in danger.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42457

Scott Cam to lead uptake of more skilled trade jobs

10 October 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business

Scott Cam will inspire the next generation of tradespeople in his new role as Australia’s first National Careers Ambassador, helping young Australians take advantage of surging demand for skilled workers. 

Mr Cam will highlight how practical and technical training can lead to high paying and fulfilling jobs, while also working with the National Careers Institute, alongside government, industry, education providers, career advisors, parents and employers to improve career options.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said as our economy changes we need people to have a mix of skills and experience and this includes having more Australians with technical, trade and practical skills.

“For many years going to university has been the default expectation imposed on our young Australians, but it’s not the only path to rewarding and successful employment.”

“It’s time we broadened our view and recognised the many other successful avenues available to young Australians and talked about the opportunities in fast growing industries like health and construction through technical and skills education.

“I want to see more Australians become plumbers, electricians and bakers than lawyers and consultants. I would like to see more of them going on to become their own boss.

“Scott Cam is proof that undertaking a trade can be a very valuable, rewarding and successful career choice, and there are plenty more who can tell a similar story to Scott.

“In my own electorate in southern Sydney, there are numerous stories of Australians who have been able to look after themselves, their families and make a real contribution, often starting their own businesses and creating jobs and livelihoods for others.

“By learning a trade you’ll earn more, your skills will be in demand and you’ll help build our country and keep our economy strong.”

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Michaelia Cash, said vocational education and training was key to building our future workforce.

“The Morrison Government is committed to creating more than 1.25 million jobs over the next five years and alongside that goal we are rolling out a $100 billion infrastructure investment.

“To take advantage of this, we will need to make sure people and businesses have access to the right skills at the right time, and understand how their skills relate to current and emerging career pathways,” Minister Cash said.

“As National Careers Ambassador, Scott will help Australians at all ages and stages to make informed decisions about learning, training and work pathways. Working with the National Careers Institute, Scott will make sure individuals and businesses can take advantage of the pathways on offer.”

The Morrison Government is currently undertaking a major modernisation of the vocational education and training sector.

The Government’s first instalment of our modernisation plan, a $585 million skills package, is now rolling out.

This package includes increased incentives for up to 80,000 new apprentices and expanded apprentice wage subsidy trials in rural and regional areas and 10 new Industry Training Hubs in areas of high youth unemployment to better connect schools with local employers, industries and training providers.

The National Careers Institute is holding co-design workshops around the country from 4 October 2019.

For more information on the National Careers Institute and to engage in the careers conversation go to www.nci.employment.gov.au

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42455

Joint Press Conference - Kirribilli House

9 October 2019

Dutch and Australian trade relationship; MH 17; Waste and recycling; US withdrawal from Syria; West Papua; EU free trade negotiations; Dutch dual citizens in the UK.

Prime Minister, Prime Minister of the Netherlands

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: Well good afternoon everyone. It's a great pleasure and a privilege to welcome Prime Minister Rutte here today in my hometown of Sydney but also of course here on his visit to Australia. And can I begin by congratulating Mark on his investiture today as a companion of the Order of Australia. This is a great honour that we've been very pleased to impart on the Prime Minister and it's been done for a very important reason and that has been his exemplary leadership when it has come to responding to the dreadful downing of MH 17 where of course we lost 38 Australians, and Prime Minister your advocacy on behalf of them, their families and of course the many Dutch who were involved in that terrible incident has been one of tremendous international leadership but one also of a great friend of Australia. Your response to Australia was instinctive and the friendship has been very true and we want to thank you very much for the leadership you've played on that issue in particular. And of course we continue to be a solid and faithful partner to you in not only representing and protecting the interests of the Australians and Australian families who are of course are affected, but all of those who were subject to that horrific downing of the MH 17 just over five years ago. And of course we will continue to cooperate and stand by the Netherlands in their proceedings in their own courts but also on the broader international efforts to ensure that those who are responsible for this take that responsibility and are called out. And we've made it crystal clear about what we think of the involvement of Russia in that particular incident. Can I also say that we've enjoyed a very fruitful discussion today across many issues, our relationship both personally and as two countries, we tend to finish each other's sentences which is always the mark I think of good friends. And today we've had important discussions on issues particularly in relation to the circular economy and the waste management and recycling agenda which the Netherlands have shown such strong leadership. When I was recently in New York in Brooklyn I was there at an Australian recycling plant which was using Dutch advanced technology to run the biggest recycling plant certainly in the United States and arguably anywhere in the world. So it was good to see both the Australia and the Dutch flags flying in that facility. And we've agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding which will see us share technology, share research, share the science, but most importantly share our understanding and provide a platform for commercial cooperation between Australian and Dutch firms to be able to carry forward a commercially-led way to ensure we have a real circular economy around the world, but particularly here in Australia and in the Netherlands. We've also had a very good discussion about ensuring closer cooperation on the frontier technologies and working together and at the invitation for the Netherlands to join in the work we're doing on critical metals and rare earths. This was a key focus of the discussions I had recently in Washington with the President and his administration. And we now have a process in place to see the development of a strong and reliable supply chain which begins with the mining of critical minerals and rare earths, taking them through to their end products which are typically produced in countries like the Netherlands but also in Japan, and India, and the United States and Sweden and many other countries, and so we welcome the Prime Minister's interest in that project. We're also very pleased to work with them closely on the adaptive technologies for dealing with the impacts of climate change particularly here in our own part of the world, as many of you will know we've just invested $500 million over the next five years to support our Pacific Island family in the sort of works which the Dutch have known for a very long period of time and are world leaders in those technologies and in those engineering solutions and they're working towards a major event next year and where we certainly will be involved in working with them closely on those issues. And we also thank the Prime Minister and the people of the Netherlands for their strong support of Australia as we work together to try and conclude a trade agreement with the European Union. The Netherlands have been a tremendous advocate for free trade based on fair rules and global rules which can ensure that we have an open trading environment where both countries which understand that we don't get rich selling stuff to ourselves. We know that we have to reach out and we have a similar external outlook and we know that that requires the global institutions and the rules for trade around the world, needs to be modernised in today's global economy and we share that commitment and we thank them. So we are like minded in so many respects. But importantly we're good friends, and we share the same values and the same I think outlook on the rest of the world and how the world can be made safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous through the open engagement of liberal minded countries like ourselves, and the positive contribution we can make as middle power economies and nations. So thank you very much Prime Minister, Mark it's wonderful to have you here on this beautiful Sydney day. And congratulations again on joining that great club of companions of the Order of Australia.

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: Well, dear colleague, dear Scott thank you so much. This whole investiture was very humbling. I am really excited, thank you so much, and the Governor General for that honour. And I will wear this with pride. And yes our relationship has been based of course on a long, shared history. But the downing of Flight MH 17 in 2014 has created an extra layer, and extra sense of the bond that is between us. And I'm really happy, I want to thank you for all the leadership your country has taken, you are taking in making sure that on MH 17 we stick together, that we try to get to the bottom of it, and that we get justice for the next of kin. And that's we think of the bereaved ones, and we do that collectively. We work on this very hard and I know it's very close to your heart. It is very close to the heart of everyone in Australia and in the Netherlands and together with the other partners in the joint investigation team, we are working very hard at getting to the core of this issue. This strategy has always created this bond between us and it will stay there. This was also a topic of discussion today, clearly, but not the only topic. We are both countries, mid-size economies. We are both medium sized powers. And that means that we have to work together bilaterally. We also have to look at the organizations of which we are a part and how to make them more effective. And then we compare notes. And this is the way how we can show that our responsibility as members of the international community, in the interest of our own citizens, because those are the ones who have elected us. And yes our economic ties are very strong too and becoming stronger all the time. And the Australian economy, I want to tell the Dutch voters and the Dutch listeners, is now growing for the 27th year in a row. And this country is very much on the radar of Dutch businesses in fact, around 90 Dutch companies are currently active here in Australia and the Netherlands is now the fourth biggest investor in Australia. And we are the second most important trading partner for Australia in the European Union. Between 2016 and 2018 Dutch exports to Australia rose from 4.2 billion Euros to an impressive 5.4 billion Euros and also the other way around, is an extensive trading relationship between Australia and the Netherlands. So also in economic terms our relationship is progressing very well indeed, for example when it comes to the circular economy. And I'm very happy because there is a business opportunity there. As you mentioned Scott, there is a business opportunity. So we agreed to work together on practical and business to find ways to come to a circular economy. We are working on that in the Netherlands, you are working on that here. And I'm absolutely convinced that collectively we can also build a business proposition for other parts of the world. And you mentioned also the trade agreement with the European Union. We want that to be settled. We want that trade agreement very much, and we will look forward to an ambitious, and sustainable, and inclusive, trade agreement. One that will benefit all the parties. And you can count on our support to do whatever we can to make it to make it happen on the European side. In short there are no real issues between us. But it means that we can build on the base which is there and create new opportunities. And together with Prime Minister Morrison, I will continue to focus on making those ties even stronger. So Scott again, thank you for your hospitality and warm friendship. Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: Thank you. Well thank you very much Prime Minister now we've got a number of questions from journalists and you've agreed your order. So I'll start with Rani from the ABC.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, as someone who appears to have a good relationship with Donald Trump, what counsel if any have you or will you give him about his decision to withdraw troops from Syria?

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: Well you're right. Australia does have a very good relationship with the United States and indeed so does the Netherlands. That's expressed through the Netherlands relationship through NATO and of course Australia through ANZUS and both NATO and ANZUS have been important engagements of the United States in both in the theatre where Mark is involved, and here in the Indo-Pacific where we are, and the US presence has provided I think a very important balance and a guarantor, if you like, of the peace and stability of which both our nation and the nations of our regions have been able to flourish. And so as part of that deep relationship we obviously are in regular and constant liaison with our American friends and partners. And like others, we've always been ones to urge restraint. And one of the things that I was very pleased about when I was with the President, and we were discussing another pressing issue at the time, and that that was in relation to Iran, the President made it very clear that his natural instinct actually is restraint. This is his natural disposition that's something that I think is a bit misunderstood. And that's certainly been the impression that he's been able to inform upon me in terms of how he might approach these issues. So of course we would, with many other countries, continue to urge restraint of all of those who are involved and we'll stay in close contact. So let's move to Ian.

JOURNALIST:  Prime Minister Rutte, no one could doubt that you have made great efforts your government to try to bring the MH 17 case before the courts and that’s going to happen, and that’s admirable, but through no fault of the Dutch government, is it not the case that as we speak now, you’re not going to have any actual charged person in those courts, they have not been brought into Dutch custody, what guarantee can you provide, if any, that you will ultimately be able to jail people if they are found guilty? How can you bring them before the courts?

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: This has always been a step by step process. Maintaining the pressure, we know from what happens in a tragic disaster in Lockerbie, that it can take many years. To bring those who are responsible to justice. We are absolutely adamant Australia and Netherlands together with our partners in the joint investigation team to get that done. The public prosecutors have now clearly aimed the people they have a particularly interest in. We have prepared everything to get a court case going, the court case going next year. We will inform also the next of kin in the various countries over the coming months, of the next steps. And you're right, there is no guarantee at this moment that people can get jailed if that is the conclusion of the court case. But I can guarantee you one thing, that we will not rest before that court case is closed in a way in which we all feel and sense that justice has been done. And yes that could take more years than we’d like it to take. We would like it to be done quicker, and faster. But to pressure the step by step process I'm absolutely convinced will one day leads to a satisfactory outcome.

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: I agree with the Prime Minister. We will stand shoulder to shoulder. And we will continue to pursue justice on this matter for as long as it takes. And we won't rest. That is the very least we owe to those who were murdered on that flight, and all of their families who have survived them. And so today we have reaffirmed our commitment to that task and I got to tell you, the second you start walking away is the second that those who were involved in this believe that they can get away with these sorts of things. Matt.

JOURNALIST: Do you have any reports on the situation in West Papua, and did you bring it up with Mr Widodo when you were speaking with him a few days ago?

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: Yes. As you know I visited Indonesia and has extensive talks with President Joko Widodo, it was on Monday, so this week, a couple of days ago and we discussed a lot of issues. Also regional issues and I raised [inaudible] on the issue of Papua and West Papua. That's we hope that through a dialogue things can be resolved, at the same time we do respect and fully accept the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Indonesia. But then again we also hope that these issues can be solved with dialogue.

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: Lisa?

JOURNALIST: I have a question on Syria, does the decision by the US and President Trump to withdraw troops from the north-eastern part of the country represent a betrayal to your mind, of the Kurdish forces there and do you have any concerns about whether or not the US is still a trustworthy ally for Australia?

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: I have certainly no doubts about our alliance and friendship with the United States, it almost a year ago that President Trump first started to outline his views on the ongoing role of the United States in Syria and for that matter in Afghanistan and Iraq and so that has been a point that he's been making for some time and I think it would be wrong to not draw an element of consistency between those statements almost a year ago and the actions the United States have been taking since including most recently, but as is the nature of alliances and friendships that you work through these issues together and you understand them together and you speak frankly to one another and you do that in the spirit of that relationship. Franz?

JOURNALIST: This question is on the two passports, for the Dutch and England who have two passports and this topic was raised recently in New Zealand talking to the Dutch residents over there, and this is because we [inaudible] the Parliament has decided to have temporary passports for the Dutch people in the UK, will this be reconsidered for the Dutch people wherever in the world?

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: Well what Parliament did is, there was an announcement of an initiative, report on the situation of citizens in the United Kingdom who are also citizens of the Netherlands. And that whole parliamentary process is still running and also the Dutch government has to take a view on that parliamentary process, on that initiative coming out of Parliament so we first have to await the outcome and if a law like that would be passed and also signed by the government if that would all take place, at that stage of course we have to assess that law against the whole, setting the context of the law. The Government will assess it at that moment.

PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: Thank you very much everyone, appreciate your attendance.

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: Thank you.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42456

Netherlands Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, honoured by Australia

9 October 2019

Prime Minister

I welcome the Governor-General’s appointment of Mr Mark Rutte AC, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, as an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia. 

The Governor-General, His Excellency General the Hon David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), invested Prime Minister Rutte at a ceremony at Admiralty House today.

This award recognises Mr Rutte’s eminent service to Australia’s relationship with the Netherlands, and his outstanding leadership in response to the downing of MH17.

Prime Minister Rutte’s exceptional leadership to establish the MH17 Joint Investigation Team embodies the collective and unwavering commitment of our countries to stand firm on MH17 in defence of our shared values.

Our two countries continue to stand united and resolute in our commitment to pursuing accountability for this tragedy and to achieving justice for the 298 victims and their loved ones.

Prime Minister Rutte has also, over many years, nurtured the deep friendship between Australia and the Netherlands – a friendship that is built on shared values and cultural links, backed by strong trade and investment ties.

I thank Prime Minister Rutte for his enduring friendship with Australia and steadfast commitment to our bilateral relationship.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42454

Australia and Solomon Islands Step Up Infrastructure Cooperation

7 October 2019

Prime Minister, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands

Australia and Solomon Islands share an enduring and close friendship – a relationship founded on a common history and strengthened by our collaborative development and security efforts in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. 

As part of this relationship, and Australia’s broader Step-up in the Pacific, we are working together closely to promote economic development and stability across Solomon Islands. 

A key element of this is our long-standing security cooperation, underpinned by our bilateral security treaty. As part of this, we are pleased to support an Australia-Solomon Islands joint project to construct a border and patrol boat outpost in Solomon Islands’ western provinces.

Australia’s support for a border and patrol boat outpost will enhance infrastructure and security cooperation between our countries, and support Solomon Islands’ border security. It aligns with the Solomon Islands’ three-phased approach to strengthen surveillance, response capability and protection of the western border.

The outpost will be used by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and other Solomon Islands agencies to support the people in western Solomon Islands.

The design will feature environmentally sustainable elements and will be appropriate to regional conditions, and will include a wharf capable of replenishing Guardian-Class patrol boats, accommodation buildings, and storage facilities.

The Pacific is where we live, and Australia and Solomon Islands commit to working together to ensure that our Pacific home remains secure, stable and prosperous.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42450

Doorstop - Burnie Show, Tasmania

4 October 2019

Burnie Agricultural Show; Support for agricultural show infrastructure; Animal cruelty; Engagement with international institutions; Federal public service jobs; Liberal Party State Council motions; Drought Coordinator’s report; Alexander Downer;

Prime Minister

GAVIN PEARCE MP, MEMBER FOR BRADDON: Well g'day everyone and welcome to the northwest. Welcome to Burnie. And I trust we're all here to report on a great agricultural show, the 100th show here in the northwest coast in Burnie. I'm joined here by of course the Prime Minister, We thank the Prime Minister for taking the time out to visit Tasmania once again. Our Premier Will Hodgman, the State Agricultural Minister and indeed our Federal Agriculture Minister in Bridget McKenzie. We're also joined by Senator Richard Colbeck. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, please if today we could promote this as best we can. I think it's important for our region and for our people that have worked so hard. I'll hand over to the PM.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Gav, well it's great to be here for the hundredth Burnie show and as I just said as the show was opened, this is a wonderful testimony to the ongoing vibrancy of agricultural and regional and rural communities all around the country. We know that around our country at the moment there are just so many rural and regional communities that are hurting and you don't need just to be in drought to be hurting. And there are communities that have been affected by floods up there in North Queensland in large sprawling grazing districts. And you know these are the challenges that exist in the modern day competitiveness of the agricultural sector. But here in Tasmania we have a sector that is doing famously well supported by great trade agreements. That is ensuring that the produce of Tasmania is finding its way into markets like never before around the world and prices to support it. And as we walk around this Show here today and we talk to people in the community I've always been encouraged particularly here in north western, northern Tasmania by the optimism, by the vibrancy, by the confidence and that's the product of you know we're seeing the unemployment rate here fall from 9 per cent to 6.2 per cent. We're seeing jobs created. We're seeing jobs created in the agricultural sector. There are the great projects that are being pursued together with the State Government and Will Hodgman and the team whether it's battery of the nation, or the many other projects we're doing which are going to have a big impact here in north west Tasmania and in northern Tasmania.

But today we're celebrating agricultural shows. Agricultural shows are a great opportunity for communities to come together. And to celebrate their achievements and basically show what they can do. And to come together as communities to celebrate those achievements and we're announcing today the commencement of the 20 million dollar program which is going in to support agricultural shows all around the country. I'm going to ask the Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie to talk a bit more about that. But it's just another part of the way we're trying to support agricultural communities. And in those communities that are doing it really tough, they're great opportunities for them to come together and support each other. I've seen that firsthand as I've visited some of those shows in drought affected parts of the country. It is an opportunity for farmers and agricultural communities to support each other and to get alongside each other and to encourage each other. Today, the Drought Minister has announced a further 13, just over $13 million in support for on farm water infrastructure that is in addition to what we announced last Friday which is the hundred million dollars particularly around financial assistance both to households and into rural communities whether through St Vinnies or the Salvos and other programs that are putting money directly into communities but also putting money into the pockets of farming households with much more relaxed and more flexible arrangements so they can get that assistance.

The drought is the first call on the budget. It's our first priority in addressing those immediate fiscal needs but longer term it's also about investing in the necessary water infrastructure. It's not just dams, it's pipes, it's irrigation systems. It's ensuring that we're putting the plumbing in place. We can't make it rain but we can ensure that we're building for the future and we're providing the financial assistance to support those communities to be able to make their way through these very drought-affected times. So with that Bridg, come and tell us more about our investment in the Shows.

SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE: Thanks PM, look it's fantastic to be on the North-West Coast of one of those turnaround states where agriculture is just going gangbusters. And it's here in Tasmania. Very, very proud to be part of a government that is seeking to bridge the gap between urban Australians and those of us who live out in the regions and work in the regions and work in agriculture. And agricultural shows are a key part of our task to do that. So we have small shows, we have large shows. This program will mean that you can apply for up to half a million dollars, to not just upgrade your grandstands and build critical infrastructure but to purchase those sort of the movable infrastructure that might make your show much more attractive to get not just the locals along but the people down the road, the people from Hobart, and the people from Melbourne to get out into the region and to see the great horse events, the fantastic cattle and sheep that we've got but also so many of our agricultural shows are the place where you can grow the largest pumpkin, if you're really good- If you've got a great vegie patch your local show is where you can get due recognition, if you make the best jelly slice in town, well it's your local agricultural show where you'll be able to put that on show and get the due recognition.

So by backing our agricultural shows across the country, we're backing vibrant sustainable regions and regional communities who are proud of who they are, proud of where they come from, and very proud of what they do. We will stand with our regional communities particularly in this tough time of drought. And their agricultural show is often one event in the season where they can get off farm, meet with the community, have a look at what everyone else is doing, celebrate what they do and enjoy each other's company and get together. So I'm very proud to be part of a government that's backing agricultural shows right across the country.

ROB WILSON, CHAIR AGRICULTURAL SHOWS AUSTRALIA: Good afternoon everyone, I'm Rob Wilson I chair Agricultural Shows of Australia which is the peak body for that all the 580 shows that operate every year in Australia. And we were talking about, the Minister and the Prime Minister talking about communities, and that's true. They are the lifeblood of communities everywhere. We use around 30,000 volunteers that run shows every year and we provide actually an economic impact to the community of close to a billion dollars now. And it is the resilience of farmers that has seen the resilience of agricultural shows not only here in Burnie but nearby, Campbelltown has had its 150th year, every year there's a handful of shows that are now reaching their hundred years but also there's new societies popping up around the country as well. And that's a testimony to the communities and the people and the $20 million which will go for not only the infrastructure but as the minister said for other sustainable activities reflecting the community, looking at education, looking at technology, looking at digital platforms that we can use now to keep that resilience going. And we now hope for another hundred and fifty years, ag societies will be viable right around Australia.

THE HON WILL HODGMAN MP, PREMIER OF TASMANIA: I'm delighted to be here today at the Burnie show with so many of my parliamentary colleagues and so many members of this community. The Burnie show 2019 is like so much of what Tasmania is about now. Bigger, better, stronger, more people involved. It's the place to be and we're delighted to see such a great community effort to restore life into a show that like many across our state has had difficult periods. As a state government we've invested more into supporting our regional shows because they are the lifeblood of communities right across the state and we'll continue to do so. And similarly the announcement by the Commonwealth Government today it shows once again that we're working in sync to deliver positive things for our communities while other political parties worry about things that don't matter to Tasmanians we are very much working together to keep our economy strong, to invest in services that Tasmanians need to keep this state powering ahead as it is and with more opportunities than ever before. So I want to thank again the Prime Minister for being back in Tasmania and to just highlight the strong collaboration we have whether it be supporting our agricultural sector which is grown by about 10 per cent in the last year alone and that's largely driven through the policies of not only the Commonwealth government and mine but also through the strength and resilience of a more confident farming community. In fact the most confident in the country. So, wonderful to have so many people with us today in what is the turnaround state in the nation.

PRIME MINISTER: Very true. Now questions on this matter and then we can go to questions on other matters and we'll excuse some of our guests.

JOURNALIST: Quick one for Rob?

PREMIER: You do Rob, and then we'll, we won't run away.

JOURNALIST: Nationally, how tough have times been for some of these regional shows?

WILSON: It varies around the country and some shows that have had some difficulty and perhaps go into, take a year off, but more often than not they're back again they get a strong committee around them. We have a very very strong next gen group right around Australia. Every state now has next gen groups and we have our rural ambassador programs and our younger judges and paraders and we're educating and encouraging young people to come up, and they're now taking roles on committees. We've got very young people now, president of show societies and taking an active role along with our volunteers, the people who do a sterling job in all the shows that have been there for a very long time. So it's now a good mix of the experience but certainly the next gen becoming involved. So sure in some areas it's tough but the show mostly goes on.

PRIME MINISTER: Any other questions on the matter of the announcement today? This is the first time I've done a press conference to the sounds of country music. I might make it a normal practice.

JOURNALIST: On native animals, how, are there better ways to protect native animals in the wake of the attack on the wombat in South Australia?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that is something that is predominantly the domain of the State Government in terms of those types of, Will might want to comment on that. And obviously the Commonwealth has a range of legislation which relates to the native species and so on. And so. We'll continue to support those types of initiatives. But is there anything you want to add to that Will?

PRIME MINISTER: Could we ask some questions of you first Prime Minister? What's your response to charges laid against CommInsure?

PRIME MINISTER: Well as we are moving on to other areas I don't want to sort of detain Rob [inaudible].

That's obviously a very serious issue and it's a product of the process doing its job and where financial institutions do the wrong thing, well that's the reason we have prosecutors, that's the reason why we have regulators and that's the sort of thing they should be doing and they should be pursuing those and that should find its way through the normal process through the courts.

JOURNALIST: Could you define negative globalism for us Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: Well any time frankly that global organisations think that they have a greater mandate over a country than the country themselves. I mean I answer to no higher authority than the people of Australia. I don't answer to international institutions or global organisations, and our interests and our policies will be set in Australia by Australians and by the will of the Australian people. Australia has an exemplary record when it comes to our international participation in constructive programs, everything from peacekeeping, to aid support, to our engagement in multilateral forums. That's all positive. But Australia's interests will determine our involvement and we won't be copping from any global organisation or institution any instructions or directions that are at odds with our national interest and with any presumption that somehow some global agenda is bigger than Australia.

JOURNALIST: Could you give us an example where an unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy has sought to coerce Australia or to impose a mandate?

PRIME MINISTER: Australia's policies, whether it's on border protection or anywhere else have been set by Australians, in our interests. And there's plenty of commentary about what Australia should and shouldn't do on these and other issues. I'm just simply making the point that under my Government, our policies will be accountable to Australians first and only.

JOURNALIST: There must be threats for you to make a point?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I have observed now over many years as a Minister and as a Prime Minister that growing global agendas need to frankly recognise at the end of the day that it's nation states who are sovereign. And it's nation states that will set their rules, their policies, and they'll do that- particularly in democracies like Australia which is subject to the ballot box and the rule of law. So I don't have an issue, I'm engaged in many multilateral institutions but the ones I find most constructive are the ones that represent respect the sovereignty of each individual state and we've taken issues to an election, we've taking policies to an election. Well they're the policies I'll implement I won't be pushed into other policies by global institutions.

JOURNALIST: Could you give us an example though?

PRIME MINISTER: I think I've covered the issue.

JOURNALIST: You've had members of your party talk about moving more federal public service jobs to regional areas. But the numbers in Tasmania have actually been declining. Was this just an empty promise on regional jobs?

PRIME MINISTER: Well what I think is great is the unemployment rate here in Braddon has fallen from 9 per cent to 6.2 per cent. I'm interested in jobs, in north western Tasmania, in northern Tasmania, and right across Tasmania. I want to see jobs, see I disagree with the Labor Party. I don't think the way to create jobs is just to employ more public servants. I think the way to create jobs is to have a successful agricultural sector, a successful forestry sector, a successful mining sector. But the Labor Party seems to want to apologise for all of those industries, not us. We support all of those industries proudly. These are Australian jobs that are being created here in Tasmania by these great private sector efforts. You know, you want to create jobs. You've got to have a vibrant private economy. And that's always been the focus of our attention.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] accountable internationalist bureaucracies?

PRIME MINISTER: I think we covered that one off.

JOURNALIST: Lachlan's question was about moving public service jobs to Tasmania, not creating them?

PRIME MINISTER: And we'll  continue to look at those opportunities, we have a Minister for decentralisation and he's taken on that job since the election. He will bring forward proposals to cabinet where he thinks it's in the best interests of the running of those organisations and where we can spread those benefits we will.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] Major General Day’s report on the drought public?

PRIME MINISTER: I couldn't hear the start of the question?

JOURNALIST: Will you make a Major General Day's report public?

PRIME MINISTER: We'll be responding formally to that report quite soon. And it has obviously played a key role in informing a lot of the drought response that we've already made. I mean Major General Day reported to Cabinet some time ago as did the drought envoy, as well, prior to the last election and so all of that information, all of that considerable work that was done has been feeding into the constant drought response that we've been making. I mean that's the nature of responding to this drought. There's just not one report and one response and that's it, set and forget. That's not the way you deal with this. And in some areas this drought has been going on for seven years. And so you need a constant, a constant response and that needs to be continually informed. That's why the Treasurer has been out in drought affected areas just this week. That's why I was out there last week. That's why all of my ministers are out there and listening to the issues that are on the ground and responding. $100 million last week, $13.2 million today. We will continue to respond for as long as the drought circumstances demand it.

JOURNALIST: Have you read the drought coordinator's report?

PRIME MINISTER: Of course I have.

JOURNALIST: How come the Treasurer hasn't?

PRIME MINISTER: It's going through Cabinet and he was certainly there when the drought coordinator reported to Cabinet. It's going through a Cabinet process as we speak and he's part of that Cabinet process.

JOURNALIST: At tomorrow's state liberal Council, they're going to put up a motion that the federal government call on China to respect the rule of law, democracy, and civil liberties of Hong Kong. Do you think it's up to the state to try and direct foreign policy?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I think the motion is an expression, I think, of the concern of Australians and Tasmanians in particular about the events that we're seeing unfold in Hong Kong. The Australian Government and I, and the Foreign Minister have similarly expressed our concern about those events. But our response has been one to counsel restraint and respect for the one country, two systems arrangement, and for that to be honoured, and we'll continue to follow that path as a Commonwealth Government. I mean, in the Liberal Party members put up motions, the parliamentary parties are the ones that set policies. That's what's different between us and the Labor Party, in the Labor Party they're bound by these things and in the Liberal party that's not how our party runs, it was never set up that way. But it is an important sentiment to acknowledge, that there are real concerns about this. And I think those concerns are felt right across the country, but how we manage them and how we respond to them, we do carefully and we do constructively.

JOURNALIST: On Alexander Downer, what do you say to US Republicans including supporters of Donald Trump who say that Alexander Downer is part of an international conspiracy?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I think it's laughable. And the Ambassador has communicated that in the United States already, so I'd refer you to his comments and I endorse them.

JOURNALIST: There's another motion in the Liberal conference calling for Tony Abbott to be appointed the ambassador to the Holy See would you support that?

PRIME MINISTER: We'll make those judgements. But I can tell you that Mr Abbott has no interest in serving in that role. So that would mean that the recommendation would be quite moot.

JOURNALIST: The Burnie Show is a far cry from the UN, how do you rank the two?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I'd rather be at the Burnie Show. Every day of the week. And I'd rather be in Australia every day of the week too.

QUESTION: Scott, can I ask an ordinary question, to do with this drought, and I have followed it. There was one farmer, on the news probably last year some time. And he had dug three pits and stored feed in those pits, so for three years he managed to keep himself going. Now is his expertise on that being looked at, asked about to help other farmers because, with a lot of the feed being brought in, yes that's all very well because it's given out when it's eaten, but if it's stored it means every farmer will have that possibility of storage? 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, now thank you for the question. This was one of the key issues that came up in the national drought summit we held about this time last year. And that's why one of our immediate responses after last year's drought summit was to increase the incentives that we had and through the tax system to encourage the development of those silage capabilities and capacities. You're absolutely right. While you've got to deal in response to the drought to the immediate needs which are basically financial, then the issues going down the track, opportunities to develop on farm water infrastructure, broader water infrastructure and not just dams and pipelines, and other forms of irrigation infrastructure but it's also silage.

QUESTION: Is that farmer being involved?

PRIME MINISTER: I can only assume there's been some input, I couldn't- not knowing specifically the chap.

QUESTION: Well there should be because he's been there and he's doing it.

PRIME MINISTER: This is where we're getting our information from. I get them from farmers.

QUESTION: Just look him up, because he's the only one who's done it.

PRIME MINISTER: Well there are a lot of farmers who invested in silage. It's not true to say there's only been one. There's been many of them and many of them have been taking up that incentive that we put in place a year ago to plan for future, because the one thing that I'm always impressed with by our farming community particularly those impacted by drought Is they’re planning for when it rains. They have not resigned themselves to any other circumstance of it not raining, and they have hope for the future and it's important that we continue to give them that hope. Now many farmers during the course of the drought will make decisions about whether they choose to stay on the land or not. And that's a difficult, and it's a hard decision for them to make. And we have to support them in that decision. That's why last week one of the things we announced was further financial assistance for farmers who were looking to change their skills base and get trained in different areas and to enable them to earn more off-farm income to support them to stay on the land. So we have a very comprehensive and deep and wide drought response. It was born out of the national drought summit about this time last year. That is our drought strategy which we continue to implement. But it is an ever receding finishing post. We never stop. We will keep responding and we will keep listening. Thank you very much for your question.

JOURNALIST: On private health insurance. The private health care lobby is pushing for tax breaks for employers to pay for the private health insurance for workers. Would the government consider that type of plan?

PRIME MINISTER: Well we're very keen to ensure that we arrest, particularly amongst younger people, the take up of private health insurance having fallen in recent times. I wouldn't say those falls are dramatic, but they have receded and that is a concern. That's why in the past our side of politics when we've been in government have been the ones that put in place the incentives for people to hold private health insurance. When Labor was in power they were stripping those away because they couldn't fund their Budget and they just attacked private health insurance. And I didn't think that was a very far sighted view. So we will seek to ensure that the right incentives are in place. We'll be considering all the options that are available as we proceed in to next year's budget and to ensure that we can maintain a great private health insurance system in this country. I think it's one of the great features of our health system that it is a hybrid of both the public and the private systems. We don't rely all on one, like they do in the United States essentially in the private sphere, or all on the public sphere, as we see in the UK and places like that. Australia's health system is quite unique. It is very effective. And it is the envy of the world pretty much in the way it is structured. That doesn't mean it's perfect, it doesn't mean there's not more we have to do as Will and I often discuss, and premiers discuss all the time, at leader-level about what we have to do in health, but we want to make sure that our hybrid private public system remains vibrant and so we will always listen to suggestions but we've got to make those decisions consistent with the budget rules and your priorities. But that's why you have a strong economy by the way. If you don't have a strong economy you don't have a strong budget. If you don't have a strong budget you can't invest in hospitals and schools or in rural agricultural shows. And that's why having a strong economy, driven by vibrant industries like agriculture is so critical to the services that Australians rely on, so it's been great great to see you. I'm going to go enjoy the show. Cheers.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42451